Pauline “Polly” May Latty Kaiser

PORTLAND – Pauline “Polly” May Latty Kaiser died on Dec. 26, 2023, after a six-week struggle with cancer. A multi-generational Mainer, she was born in Brunswick on Oct. 29, 1943, to Estella and Basil Latty. A few minutes after Polly’s birth, her twin sister, Penny, entered the world.

After graduating from North Yarmouth Academy (’62), Polly attended Simmons College (B.A. ’66, MFA ’67). In 1967, while teaching high school English near Boston, Mass., she met medical student, John Kaiser, and they married on Aug. 9, 1969. In 1975, after a brief stint in New Orleans, La., Polly and John moved to Bangor, where they raised two sons, Scott and James. Polly taught English at Brewer High School for eight years and at Sumner Memorial High School in East Sullivan for seven years. A lifelong learner, she studied multiple languages and earned a PhD from the Union Institute. Polly was a dedicated member of PEO. In 1992, she and friend Diane Vatne presented a retrospective for the Bangor Historical Society: “The Hardy Connection: Bangor Women Artists 1830-1900.”

Polly loved gardening and the outdoors, indulging in both at the family camp on Branch Lake in Ellsworth. In winter she enjoyed skiing at Sugarloaf. Polly and John visited scores of countries and all seven continents. Among the highlights, a 1983 trip to Tanzania where John volunteered at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center. After retirement, Polly and John spent winters in Bonita Springs, Fla.

Polly was a true Mainer: hard working and reliable. Her sense of fun was exceeded only by her love of family. Inspired by her grandfather, Salvino, an Italian stone cutter who immigrated to Stonington, Polly reconnected with cousins in Biella, Italy. Until the final days of her life, she cherished weekly phone calls in Italian with her cousin Piero.

Polly is survived by her husband; sons; four grandchildren, Ted, Alex, Martina, and Max; and siblings Alex, Penny, Mark, and Marcia.

Polly will be interred at Evergreen Cemetery in South Portland at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 31. John will host a celebration of her life at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 31, at 17 Hodson Rd., Pownal.

Contributions may be made to the:

Bangor Humane Society

693 Mt. Hope Ave.

Bangor, ME 04401