Gloria Jean Pollard

Gloria Jean Pollard, 78, passed away peacefully on September 8th, 2022 in Scarborough, Maine. Gloria was born in Portland, Maine on May 4, 1944, the daughter of Joseph Pallotta of Campobasso, Italy and Mary Montefusco of Sala Consoline, Italy. Both parents migrated to America in their early years, and they passed on to Gloria many of their Italian traditions and customs. She is predeceased by her husband, William Curtis Pollard, and her two brothers Genaro Pallotta and Joseph Pallotta Jr.

Gloria graduated from Deering High School and the University of Maine, where she received her B.A. degree in French and a license to teach in Maine. In 1966, she married William Pollard of Falmouth. She taught French first at Falmouth Junior High, and then at Yarmouth High School for over two decades.

When her family came along, Beth Adrienne and Dana Mathew, Gloria took a few years off, substituting at Portland Adult Evening School. She worked hard to balance family and career so that she could continue her academic studies in French and teaching. She was able to earn two Master’s Degrees, one in French assessment and the second in English as a Second Language. She was accepted for two NDEA grants, one at New York University, Greenwich Village campus in French for high school teaching and the second at University of Maryland, Baltimore for teaching French to elementary students.

After acquiring this teaching background, she was asked by the state coordinator of foreign language to prepare and present new trends and techniques with him. They presented on a local, state, regional and national level. Gloria received the award of State Foreign Language Teacher of the Year in 1996. During this time, she kept her own students involved in learning French by taking trips to France during April vacation, hosting Amity exchange French teachers, hosting a chapter of the French National Honor Society, involving students in Alliance Francaise local competitions, and many more immersion opportunities to help all levels of French students to speak the language.

After suffering a major illness, Gloria retired after 30 plus years in the classroom. When she felt able, she worked in her grandson’s classroom volunteering and teaching French.

But her favorite language activity was to mimic computer programs that drilled original French sounds. When she was in France, it was an interesting exercise for the local people to figure out if Glo was Canadian, American, or Belgian.

Even though her career was very involved, she kept her children and her grandson Adam close to her heart and her life. Spending time in the garden or reading great mystery stories were her favorite pastimes. Her Catholic faith grew stronger as Gloria grew older, guiding her grandson through Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation.

Gloria, or just Glo as she preferred, is survived by her daughter, Beth Whittemore of Brunswick; her son Dana Pollard, and his wife Sharon Pollard of Ayer, MA; her grandson Adam Louis Bailey Jr. of Brunswick; her sisters Anna Paolilli of Portland and Joanne Williams of York; her brother-in-law Richard Pollard and his wife Nancy Pollard of Midland, TX, and many nieces and nephews.

A breakfast reception will be held at 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 326 Main St. Yarmouth, ME on September 16th. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. immediately following the breakfast reception at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Burial will follow at New Calvary Cemetery in South Portland, ME immediately following the services. A reception to Celebrate Gloria’s life will also take place after the committal service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent in Glo’s memory to:

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

P.O. Box 5028

Hagerstown, MD 21741-5028

Or online, https://secure2.convio.net/mskcc/site/Donation2?df_id=17286&17286.donation=form1&mfc_pref=T