Conway, MA – Mary (Polly) Paine Caron, formerly Mary Bradford Paine (yes, an 11th direct descendent of William Bradford of the Mayflower), passed away peacefully on July 24th, 2026, surrounded in love and presence by her family; her husband Gary, her 4 children Alexandra, Brendan, Lindsay, and Tyler and their spouses Jimmy, Kristin, Katie, and Sharon, her 12 grandchildren Delaney, Riley, Mackenzie, Matthew, Madison, Mason, Jackson, Logan, Maxwell, Lillian, William, and Elijah (whew!) and her siblings and their spouses; David Paine (Gheraldine), Alexander Paine (Cathie), Elizabeth (Lee) Bell (Mike).
Polly was born on July 12, 1948 in Boston, MA. She was the daughter of the late John and Jane (Patterson) Paine.
Polly was a loving wife, an amazing mother, a devoted grandmother, and an adored teacher of young children. Her career teaching in the infant and toddler program at Smith College Center for Early Childhood Education spanned over 27 years. Families would even attempt to time their pregnancies so that their infants would be lucky enough to have Polly as their caregiver. Polly was a natural at nurturing young children, and she enjoyed helping parents learn and grow as they raised their families.
Polly always saw the glass as half full. She recognized and nurtured the good in everyone. Her laugh was one of a kind, and her smile was infectious. Her warmth, optimism, and ability to make people feel cared for are qualities she passed on to her children and grandchildren. Her family was her greatest pride and joy and she leaves behind a beautiful legacy of deep family devotion.
A celebration of Polly’s life will be held on Saturday, September 19, 2026, in Orleans, Massachusetts. Family and friends who would like to join are warmly invited to reach out to a member of the family for details.
In lieu of flowers, those wishing to donate in Polly’s memory are asked to do so to the Dakin Humane Society. www.dakinhumane.org.
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