William C. Pollard ’66

YARMOUTH – William Curtis “Bill” Pollard, 74, passed away peacefully Oct. 30, 2017, at his residence.

Bill was born in Portland on Oct. 1, 1943, the son of Althea Curtis, of West Paris, and Joseph Edwin Pollard, of Norwich, Conn. He grew up on Greenway Drive in Falmouth. He and his younger brother, Richard, were very close and had lots of fun adventures on the nearby ocean. During their high school years they had a profitable lobster business.

After graduating from Falmouth High School, Bill went on to Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, where he graduated with the U.S. Navy Commission. He earned his bachelor’s degree and license to sail as a third mate in the U.S. Merchant Marine. He preferred navigating on cargo freighter ships, which sailed the four corners of the earth.

Before setting sail in 1966, he married his college sweetheart, Gloria Pallotta, of Portland. He continued sailing the seas through the Vietnam War, where he worked for Sealand Shipping and transported war supplies from San Diego to Saigon.

Bill decided to come ashore full-time as he and his wife had a new house in Yarmouth and two children to raise: Beth Adrienne and Dana Mathew. He went to work for Brown and Williamson for the next 25 years, but he and his family stayed close to Maine’s waters by spending their summers in a cottage on a lake in Casco. Now, over 40 years later, that cottage is still a family gathering place from May to October.

Bill continued to enjoy boating, fishing, and other water activities, especially with his grandson, Adam Bailey Jr., of Brunswick.

His work brought him to all areas of Maine, including some of the most remote parts of the state. As he approached a time to retire, he started to take travel and tourism classes, getting ready for another career. He was hired by Maine Tourism and Information Center in Yarmouth as a manager. He enjoyed meeting people from around the world who shared their impressions of Maine and New England. He was a good listener and a very eager and friendly manager.

Traveling, especially on the ocean, was obviously his favorite pastime, as he and his family traveled to Europe and the Caribbean at least once a year. He enjoyed being the leader and planner of these trips and finding great places to visit.

He will be sadly missed by his wife, children, grandson, his many nieces and nephews, his brother Richard and his wife Nancy McKenny and their children and grandchildren.

May God go with you as you sail on.

A breakfast reception will be held 8:30-9:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 326 Main St., Yarmouth, on Friday, Nov. 3, 2017. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. immediately following the breakfast reception. Burial will follow at New Calvary Cemetery in South Portland, immediately following services.

Donations in lieu of flowers for William Curtis Pollard can be made to
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
at: www.dana-farber.org in the “Donate Now” section,
or by calling donor services at: 617-632-2903