Pauline "Polly" Brown Morse died Sunday, February 4, at Hearthstone New Horizons in Marlborough. She was 94 years old and had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease and congestive heart failure.
Pauline was predeceased by husbands Arthur L. Kimball, who died in 1989, and Gradon W. Morse, who passed away in 2004.
Pauline was born on May 12, 1923, in Whitinsville, the daughter of Robert Knox Brown and Elois Mildred Holland Brown. Her father spent nearly 50 years at Whitin Machine Works while her mother taught school and piano. She grew up on Spring Street in Whitinsville with her brother Keith before moving to Upper High Street as a teenager. Keith died in 1967.
Pauline graduated from Northbridge High in 1941 before attending Green Mountain College in Poultney, Vt. After college graduation in 1943, Pauline embarked on one of her proudest endeavors, a three-year hitch as a WAVE in the United States Navy, stationed mainly at the supply base in Oakland, Ca. It was in nearby San Francisco that she met her first husband, Arthur Kimball, a decorated World War II veteran of the Pacific Theatre.
Pauline lived in Boston, Wayland, Ma., and Short Hills, NJ, before relocating to Grafton in 1967. She worked for 17 years at Clark University in Worcester, first in the Psychology Department then as supervisor of the mail room.
In 1978, she married Gradon Morse, with whom she traveled the U.S., Asia, Europe, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. But she always called the Blackstone Valley home and eventually moved year-round from Westborough to what had been her summer residence on Lake Singletary in Sutton, where she had proudly attended Marion's Camp from 1933-39.
Pauline's career resume included sales stints at top department stores, including B. Altman's, Filene's and Macy's. She spent more than 40 years rooting for the Patriots and began a love affair with the Red Sox in the early 1930s.
Pauline had three sons from her first marriage, Robert Lewis Kimball of Sutton; Paul Stuart Kimball, who died in 1990; and John Holland Kimball of Palm Desert, Ca. She also had three stepchildren – David Morse of Lake View Terrace, Ca.; Natalie Moore of Kealakekua, Hi. and Amy Morse O’Brien of Nicasio, Ca.
Pauline is also survived by devoted family friends Laurie and Roger Corron of Acton, Ma., and adopted granddaughters Amy Corron of Troy, NY., and Samantha Corron of Somerville, Ma.
Burial is scheduled for 11AM, Saturday, February 10, at Pine Grove Cemetery in Whitinsville after which family and friends will gather to salute Pauline's wonderful and plentiful life.
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