Bob was born in Athens, Maine on January 29, 1936 to Richard and Viola Poland. He graduated in 1953 from Somerset Academy in Athens. Bob worked in the heavy equipment business his entire life. He started at Hinman in the 1950s and moved to the equipment rental business in the late 1960s. In 1985 he invested in Cormier Equipment Corporation, a mulit-state heavy rental equipment company where he worked until he retired in 1998. Bob was also a proud member of the Mason’s, becoming Worshipful Master in 1971.
Early in his retirement, Bob loved to tend to his vegetable garden and enjoyed attending Portland SeaDogs Baseball games. He enjoyed watching his grandson play baseball from Little League to High School, often keeping score with pebbles in the cupholders of his lawn chair when no scoreboard was available. He loved spending time with his granddaughter Alysia, helping to teach her to drive and encouraging her love and raising of farm animals. He would brighten when he knew his grandson Quinn would be visiting from Oregon and loved spending time with him on the visits.
Bob always put family first and would drop everything if he knew you needed him. He was a strong man who lived an honorable and self-less life. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him.
Even in the last few years when Parkinson’s Disease was overcoming him, he never lost his wonderful sense of humor. Up until his final days he would say that it was not so bad, he was fine and there were others in a worse position than him.
Bob is survived by his wife of 65 years, Pearl (Small) Poland; his children Bonnie (Poland)Nawfel and her husband Sam, Steve Poland and his wife Debbie, and Nikki (Poland) Todd and her husband Mike; his grandchildren, Alysia (Nawfel) Whynot and her husband Colby, Quinn Poland and Spencer Todd; his great grandson, Wesley Whynot; his brothers Gilbert Poland and Richard Poland and wife Judy; his brother-in-law Sherwood Small and wife June and many adoring nieces and nephews.
Because of the restrictions imposed upon us by the pandemic of 2020, a small private graveside service with burial attended by his immediate family will be conducted by Reverend George Finnemore at Mount Rest Cemetery in Athens, Maine. Bob will be laid to rest on Friday, November 20, 2020. Arrangements entrusted to the care of Smart & Edwards Funeral Home, 183 Madison Ave., Skowhegan, Maine. Anyone who wishes to leave the family messages can do so on our website at – www.smartandedwardsfh.com
For those who would like to make a donation in Bob’s name, you are welcome to consider: Tuttle Road United Methodist Church, 52 Tuttle Road, Cumberland, Maine 04021, (207) 829-3766
