Pauline Polly Agnes Lorandeau Croteau

She was born on April 3, 1921, in Elliot Community Hospital, in Keene NH, the daughter of Sydney Lewis and Helen Elizabeth (O’Connel) Lorandeau. She attended Keene schools and graduated from Keene High School, Class of 1939. While in Keene High School, she was an honor student all four years and elected to the National Honor Society her junior year. She was Editor in Chief of the Keene High School Yearbook, the Enterprise, and editor of the school newspaper, the Informer; and an Associate Editor of Salmagundi, the KHS graduation yearbook. In high school she was active in five sports and received varsity letters in three: Field Hockey, Basketball and Tennis.

Under her photo in the High School yearbook, was written: “She was pretty to walk with and witty to talk with and pleasing too to think on.”

She had a lifelong passion for Tennis and remained a gifted tennis player for most of her life. In her 80’s she won trophies at the club level, playing in Florida at the Island Country Club.

In her childhood, she spent summers at Sunapee Lake in NH at the family cottage at Sunapee Harbor. In her retirement, she cherished her winter home in Florida, called Marco Croteau. She took the Coast Guard tests and courses and enjoyed boating, as a First Mate aboard the JayCee.

During her college years at Keene State College, UNH, Class of 1943, she held a National Referee’s license in Women’s Basketball and in later years refereed games in NH and VT. Also, she lettered in Field Hockey, Basketball and Tennis for all four years of college. She was elected to a national college English Honor Society called Sigma Pi Epsilon. Years later she became a member of the KSC English Department. In 1962, as a faculty member of the English Department at KSC, she was admitted to membership in the American Association of University Professors. In her retirement years, in 2011, she was elected to the Wall of Honor at Keene High School. She was among the first five alumni members to be so honored.

She was in the Celebration of Women and Girls in NH, published in the early 2000’s, “and she did it all before being liberated” was written under her photo.

She was instrumental, for many years, in promoting the Red Feather, which was renamed The Community Chest, and eventually became the United Way.

Polly married her lifelong partner and high school sweetheart, John M “Bud” Croteau on June 26, 1943. They were married for nearly 71 years before his death in 2014. Their home at 209 Court Street, Keene, became the heart of two families and all the “in-laws and outlaws” who married into it for over 30 years. In the ‘60’s they moved to a paternal family home at 400 Main St and lived there for 25 years.

In the 1960’s, the editors of Horn Book Magazine designed a trip to Europe for the two of them to investigate Elementary Education books for a course that Mrs. Croteau was developing for KSC Elementary Education majors. Both Mr. & Mrs. Croteau visited libraries in England, Germany and France, and the leading Communist Book Store in Zurich, Switzerland, where they purchased books to put in the Keene State College library so that college students could understand what an impact juvenile books have had worldwide. Later, Governor Gregg’s wife, First lady Kathy Gregg, asked Mrs. Croteau to refurbish the Governor’s House Library in Concord with books about NH and by NH authors. Mrs. Croteau produced more than 300 books autographed by the authors for the visiting foreign guests to read as guests of future NH governors.

She was NH State Library Commissioner for over two terms under Governors Sununu and Gregg and a Keene Public Library Trustee for many years. She was Past President of the Women of Rotary. During WWII, she worked with all of the city Girl Scout Troops, they met in the First Congregational Church while their scout leaders worked jobs to help the war effort during WWII.

She was a Keene State College faculty member in the English Department for eighteen years. She was awarded a grant from the NH Humanities Council; she was a Children’s Literature Specialist. Mrs. Croteau was a Trustee, former Vice President and a Lifetime Member of the Historical Society of Cheshire County, a “Loon Ranger” of Silver Lake for Loon Preservation Committee for more than 39 years, also a member of the Silver Lake Association, The Land Trust Association of Silver Lake, a lifetime member of the Silver Lake Tennis Association, an original member of the Racquet Club of Keene, NH. She was a member of the Marco Island Country Club, First Mate aboard the JayCee, a Marco Island Yacht Club member, and faithful supporter of Soldier’s Angels of Florida, a non-profit organization that aids deployed American military and their families. Mrs. Croteau was a Gourmet Cook who “sang in her kitchen”. No one ever missed a dinner invitation to Croteau Cottage on Silver Lake.

Both Mrs. and the late Mr. Croteau were members of the Antique Car Club of Naples and Marco Island, where he won a national prize for his “Bluebird of Happiness”, a 1966 blue convertible Thunderbird. They loved Big Band Swing Music dancing and live performances but still followed Ralph Page and the Square dancers all over New England.

The couple had a close and loving family, with two children: Sydney Croteau Frechette and her husband Dr. David Frechette of Granite Lake, NH; and John Manley Croteau, Jr. and his wife and business partner, Jo Ann (McGill) Croteau of Keene, NH. The blessings of the Croteau’s lives were their four grandchildren and six great grandchildren: John (Jay) Croteau, III and his wife Tracy (Koch) and their children: John (Jack) Croteau IV and Emily Croteau of Surry, NH; Dr. Amy (Croteau) Watts and her husband Dr. Michel Watts and their children: Samantha Watts and William Watts of Hingham, MA; Elizabeth (Gorton) Bell and her husband W. Halsey Bell and their children: Griffin Bell and Cole Bell of Seattle, WA; and Anne (Gorton) Lovett and her husband Jeffery Lovett, of Beaufort, NC.

Whenever students open a children’s book of merit they will remember Mrs. Croteau and the enriching English courses she taught. Those who worked with her as a teacher and student have been forever blessed by her insistence on a commitment to excellence. She encouraged students to re-write and polish their work. She was often quoted saying “Only Shakespeare writes the first draft in ink.”

She is survived by her children, four grandchildren, six great grandchildren, a sister: Patricia Woolson of Graham, NH; a brother Sydney Lorandeau and his wife Carolyn of Claremont, NH; a brother in law: Arthur Croteau of Marlborough, NH; a sister in law: Juliene McIntire and her husband Richard of Amherst, MA as well as many wonderful nieces and nephews on both sides of the family. Her husband of nearly 71 years, John M. Croteau, her parents, a sister: Norma Anne Staples; a brother in law: Ray Woolson and a sister in law: Lorraine Croteau all died earlier. Now, Polly may go home to be with Bud, and rest in peace with her beloved.

A Memorial Service will be held at St Bernard Catholic Church, 185 Main St, Keene, on Saturday, April 30, 2016 at 10:00 AM. There are no public calling hours. Burial will take place, privately, at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances and or contributions may be made, in Pauline A. Croteau’s name, to Keene State College, care of the Children’s Literature Gallery, (www.keene.edu ), 229 Main St. Keene, New Hampshire 03435, where one will find the Gallery art Collection and her name among the honored.

Fletcher Funeral Home & Cremation Services (www.fletcherfuneralhome.com ), 33 Marlboro St, Keene has been entrusted with the arrangements.