PAULINE GARTLEY

PRESQUE ISLE – Pauline Gartley, 89, died Oct. 2, 2008, at home. She was born Dec. 15, 1918, on a farm in Mars Hill. She was the youngest of five children. The family later moved to a large house in Blaine, where she grew up. After graduating from high school at Aroostook Central Institute, Mars Hill, she attended Ricker Junior College, Houlton, where she also worked in President Roosevelt’s Youth Corps. After a semester at Farmington Normal School, she taught two years in a one-room school in Littleton. She completed a nursing program at the Eye and Ear Infirmary, Portland and in 1947 received a nursing degree from Columbia Teacher’s College, New York City. She worked as a nurse at Brooklyn Jewish Hospital and St. Luke’s Hospital, Manhattan, N.Y. On Dec. 17, 1947, she married Myron S. Gartley and returned to live in Presque Isle. They had two daughters, Sue and Sylvia; and a son, George. She helped Myron on the farm and set up the Tumor Clinic and Cancer Registry at Presque Isle General Hospital. She also taught student nurses in the Practical Nursing Program, taught classes at Aroostook State College and later worked as a visiting nurse. In 1971 she received a master’s degree from the University of Maine, Orono. Polly was an active member of Grant Memorial Methodist Church and a volunteer with many local programs. She and Myron enjoyed traveling and meeting new people throughout the world. She was a voracious reader and seeker of knowledge. A fantastic cook, she had fans of her cookies and brownies from Maine to California. In the summer her flower garden provided enjoyment for all who traveled the Houlton Road. She is survived by her husband, Myron S. Gartley of Presque Isle; her son, George Gartley of Presque Isle; and her daughters, Sue Gartley of San Francisco and Sylvia Smith of Sandy Point. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Arrangements are in the care of Duncan-Graves Funeral Home. Online condolences may be made at www.duncan-graves.com.