Pauline D. Sylvia of Vineyard Haven passed away peacefully early Monday morning, April 19, 2021, at Windemere Nursing Home in Oak Bluffs. She was 94. She was predeceased by her husband, Bradford L. Sylvia, in September 1984.
Pauline was born on August 17, 1926, to George and Diane Gagnon, in Biddeford, Maine. She was the oldest and only girl of five children. As a young girl, she went to visit an aunt in New Bedford, and met the love of her life, Brad. They wed in Biddeford in 1945, came to the Vineyard for a visit, and never left. Together they raised their four boys on Edgartown Road in Vineyard Haven. In the early years, she worked at Issokson’s Cleaners on Main Street in Vineyard Haven. She also did childcare for numerous children in her home.
In 1984, after the untimely passing of her husband Brad, she went back to work at the Triangle Stop & Shop Pharmacy and Conroy Apothecary in West Tisbury, retiring in 2015 for health reasons. She loved country music and square dancing. She, Brad, and friends would travel around New England chasing their music and dancing faith. Her family was also very important to her. She was a devout Catholic, and a lifelong communicant of St. Augustine Church in Vineyard Haven. She loved her home and taking care of her yard. She always kept the town sidewalk out front nice and clean.
Pauline was predeceased by her parents and her four brothers, Raymond, Leo, Gerald, and George Raymond Gagnon, all of Biddeford; and by a step-granddaughter, Rachael Houston of Vineyard Haven. She is survived by her four sons and daughters-in-law, Larry (Pat) and Gary (Robin) of Vineyard Haven, Timothy (Janet) of West Tisbury, and Jeffrey (Mary) of Falmouth; by her grandchildren, Keyth Sylvia, Crystal Thomas (Jon), Holly Best (Jarrid), Brandyn Sylvia, Brianna Olender (William), Kandace Mavro (Timothy), Zachary Sylvia, and Michael Sylvia (Rebecca); her great-grandchildren, Olyvia Houston, Mya Houston, Cole Houston, Alyssa Sylvia, Arabella Sylvia, Lennox Mavro, Paisley Best, Ethan Mavro, Madison Thomas, and Lexi Olender; numerous nieces and nephews; and a sister-in-law, Doris Boucher of Biddeford.
A private graveside service will be held at Oak Grove Cemetery in Vineyard Haven on Saturday, April 24.
Donations in her memory may be made to Windemere Nursing Home, which took such wonderful care of her, at P.O. Box 1747, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557-9902.
For online tributes and more information, please visit chapmanfuneral.com.
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