Kathleen Wormwood Sawyer

Kathleen KayWormwood Sawyer, of Cumberland Foreside, passed away on June 8, 2016. She was 102. Born May 12, 1914, Kay was the first of two daughters born to Williard E. Wormwood and Susan B. Wormwood. The family moved from Lexington, MA, to Cumberland Foreside when she was a young girl. She liked to boast that she lived on the same plot of land for more than eighty years. Kay attended the Underwood School in Falmouth and graduated from North Yarmouth Academy. She took the trolley from Foreside Road to Yarmouth Village to commute to school. She attended the University of Maine for two years, but earned a degree in elementary education from Wheelock College in Boston. She was thrilled to accept her first teaching post at the Cape Elizabeth School, now the Pond Cove School. She taught second grade there from 1937-1953, and also served as the principal of the school from 1940-1953. In 1953 she married the late Robert Sawyer of South Portland. She and Bob moved into the house next door to her childhood home, where her parents still lived. She was a devoted daughter to them. When she retired from teaching in 1953, she became involved in volunteering and community organizations such as the Junior League and the Camp Fire Leadership Council. She also thoroughly enjoyed her activities and friends at the Womens Literary Union, the Woodfords Club and Woodfords Congregational Church, the Wheelock Club and many University of Maine alumni associations. After her husband passed away, and even as she cared for her aging parents, Kay began a second career at Maine National Bank. She worked in the Trust Department. She was never so complimented as she was the day that she was called into the office, thinking they were going to urge her to retire. Instead, they extended her contract. Upon her late retirement from banking, Kay became an avid bridge player. She treasured the friends she made through bridge and the gatherings they organized. She had always been blessed with wonderful neighbors and, during her second retirement, she benefitted from a true friendship with her newest, Flip Meyers. Flip was generous with, and attentive to, Kay through her final days. Later in life, Kay remarked that she had not traveled often out of Maine. She felt perfectly fulfilled, though, with her outings with friends, especially Flip and their mutual friend Paule French. Kay relished boat rides in Casco Bay, picnics to nearby lakes, and visiting her family in the area. Despite all Kay did and lived through, perhaps nothing was more significant in her life than her sister, Helen W. Pierce, brother-in-law, Leonard A. Pierce, and their daughter, Susan P. Marshall. Although Kay never had children of her own, Susie was like a daughter to her. Kay welcomed Susies husband, John G. Marshall, into the family and remained an unwaveringly loyal aunt to them over their nearly forty years of marriage. Kay was an equal presence in the lives of Johnny and Susies four daughters, Abby M. Diaz, Maggie M. Ryan, Anna Marshall and Sarah M. Ryan. She attended countless recitals, theater productions, camp visits, and other events with and for her great-nieces. She was a particular fan of the Catherine McAuley basketball team, for which Sarah played. Kay was a mainstay on the bleachers, making it to games even on the dark snowy nights of Maine winters. She was a guest of honor at her great-nieces weddings to Aristides Diaz, Mike Ryan and Matt Ryan, and she was the proud great-great-aunt to Emilia, Mateo, Ben and Pierce. She hung their artwork on her refrigerator, sang loudly to them, and introduced them to her famous holiday Chex party mix. Johnny, Susie and their family often joked that, by Kays count, none of them had ever done anything wrong in their entire lives. They also joked that it took Kay 102 years to get sick for the first time. They never joked, though, about her constancy, her devotion, or her warmth towards one and all. She was everyones Auntie Kay. Kay had moved to OceanView in Falmouth when she was in her 90s, and celebrated her 100th birthday there. She then resided at Falmouth House at OceanView. She spent her final days at The Cedars in Portland, surrounded by their loving nurses and staff. Fittingly, she died in a peaceful moment she shared only with Susie, who was whispering love, thanks and memories to her as she passed. As Kay wished, there will be no funeral service. A private burial will be held at Evergreen Cemetery in Portland. Arrangements are under the direction of the Conroy-Tully Walker Funeral Home, 172 State Street, Portland. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Kays memory to The Cedars, 630 Ocean Avenue, Portland, Maine 04103.