BANGOR –
Catherine Jane (Polyot) Fessenden died peacefully at home, surrounded by family, with her husband at her side on July 31, 2015, after a three-year struggle with cancer. Cathy was born June 13, 1951, in Bangor to Carroll J. (C.J.) and Mildred (Tremble) Polyot.
Cathy attended Bangor schools, graduating from John Bapst High School and the University of Maine. Cathy spent her career working for the Social Security Administration, where she held several positions, most recently in IT. Cathy received several awards and recognitions during her employment, which spanned more than 40 years of service until her retirement last year.
Travel and adventure were Cathy’s passion. As an avid adventure traveler, Cathy summited Mount Rainer and Mount Kilimanjaro, rafted the Amazon on a bicycle-powered raft she made herself, was shot at in both North and South America, “visited” polar bears in Labrador, came face to face with a grizzly in the Yukon, and canoed many rivers, among which were the Rio Grande, the entire length of the Florida Everglades, and the Kazan River in the Arctic, where she was extremely fortunate to see muskoxen and caribou migration. A special memory among her travels was attending the first inauguration of President Barack Obama. On many of her travels, Cathy was accompanied by her husband, Dan Kidd. Cathy enjoyed that she and Dan had seen all of the animals in the Cabela’s display in their wild habitat. Cathy often traveled with many friends through the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club. She also enjoyed travel with her children, and on occasion she would settle for less adventurous travel with her sister, of whom she often said, "her idea of roughing it is a slow bellhop."
Cathy is survived by her best friend, travel companion, and husband, Dan Kidd; her children and their families, Matthew and wife, Abby; Ricky and wife, Amanda; Andrew and wife, Amanda; and Michael and partner, Shannon Hassler. Cathy loved being Grandma to Emily, Alex and Jonah. She is also survived by a brother, Stephen Polyot and wife, Judy; sister, Susan Polyot and husband, Larry Tyler; stepmother, Sally Polyot; sister-in-law, Dinah Kidd-Hillgartner; a special sister-in-law and friend, Judy Fessenden; and several nieces and nephews, in particular, Scott King.
Cathy’s family would like to thank Susan and Brian Donahue for their ongoing support to Cathy and Dan throughout her illness.
A tribute to Cathy’s life will be held 4-7 p.m., Friday, August 7, 2015, at the Parish Hall of St. Paul the Apostle Parish, St. John's Catholic Church, 207 York St., Bangor. Those who wish may make donations in memory of Cathy Fessenden to Winter Kids, a non-profit organization promoting healthy lifelong habits through outdoor winter activity. www.Winterkids.org, or P.O. Box 7566, Portland ME, 04112. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.BrookingsSmith.com.
Catherine Jane (Polyot) Fessenden died peacefully at home, surrounded by family, with her husband at her side on July 31, 2015, after a three-year struggle with cancer. Cathy was born June 13, 1951, in Bangor to Carroll J. (C.J.) and Mildred (Tremble) Polyot.
Cathy attended Bangor schools, graduating from John Bapst High School and the University of Maine. Cathy spent her career working for the Social Security Administration, where she held several positions, most recently in IT. Cathy received several awards and recognitions during her employment, which spanned more than 40 years of service until her retirement last year.
Travel and adventure were Cathy’s passion. As an avid adventure traveler, Cathy summited Mount Rainer and Mount Kilimanjaro, rafted the Amazon on a bicycle-powered raft she made herself, was shot at in both North and South America, “visited” polar bears in Labrador, came face to face with a grizzly in the Yukon, and canoed many rivers, among which were the Rio Grande, the entire length of the Florida Everglades, and the Kazan River in the Arctic, where she was extremely fortunate to see muskoxen and caribou migration. A special memory among her travels was attending the first inauguration of President Barack Obama. On many of her travels, Cathy was accompanied by her husband, Dan Kidd. Cathy enjoyed that she and Dan had seen all of the animals in the Cabela’s display in their wild habitat. Cathy often traveled with many friends through the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club. She also enjoyed travel with her children, and on occasion she would settle for less adventurous travel with her sister, of whom she often said, "her idea of roughing it is a slow bellhop."
Cathy is survived by her best friend, travel companion, and husband, Dan Kidd; her children and their families, Matthew and wife, Abby; Ricky and wife, Amanda; Andrew and wife, Amanda; and Michael and partner, Shannon Hassler. Cathy loved being Grandma to Emily, Alex and Jonah. She is also survived by a brother, Stephen Polyot and wife, Judy; sister, Susan Polyot and husband, Larry Tyler; stepmother, Sally Polyot; sister-in-law, Dinah Kidd-Hillgartner; a special sister-in-law and friend, Judy Fessenden; and several nieces and nephews, in particular, Scott King.
Cathy’s family would like to thank Susan and Brian Donahue for their ongoing support to Cathy and Dan throughout her illness.
A tribute to Cathy’s life will be held 4-7 p.m., Friday, August 7, 2015, at the Parish Hall of St. Paul the Apostle Parish, St. John's Catholic Church, 207 York St., Bangor. Those who wish may make donations in memory of Cathy Fessenden to Winter Kids, a non-profit organization promoting healthy lifelong habits through outdoor winter activity. www.Winterkids.org, or P.O. Box 7566, Portland ME, 04112. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.BrookingsSmith.com.
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