Pauline Maguire Obituary

With heavy but grateful hearts, and an appreciation for a life well lived, we share news of the passing of our beloved Polly Maguire at Hand's Cove in Shoreham on May 18, 2025. We are thankful for the ease and grace of her passing - in many ways characteristic of the way she carried herself in life.
Pauline ("Polly") Thayer Maguire was born on August 30, 1930, in Haverford, Pennsylvania, to Lois B. Thayer and John B. Thayer III. She was the youngest of six siblings, all of whom, along with her parents, predeceased her. Polly's mother, Lois, was the granddaughter of Alexander Cassatt, who was President of the Pennsylvania Railroad and the brother of the Impressionist painter Mary Cassatt. Her father, Jack Thayer, at the age of 17, was on the Titanic. As the ship was going down, he shook hands with his father, whom he would never see again, dove into the sea, and survived.
Polly attended the Baldwin School in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and Bennington College in Vermont. During her Bennington years, she spent time in rural Kentucky as a frontier nurse. In 1949, while in Paris, Polly met her husband, J. Robert ("Bob") Maguire. They were married for 67 years until Bob's death in 2021. Their three children and six grandchildren survive them. J. Robert Maguire Jr. and his wife, Katherine Bucknell, live in London and have three children: Bobby, Lucy, and Jack. Pauline Maguire Robison resides in Washington, D.C., and has a daughter, May. George Ezra Batcheller Maguire and his wife, Cecily, live in New York City and have two sons, George and Henry.
In 1963, Polly and Bob left New York City and moved with their young family to Shoreham. They shared an immediate and lasting love for their new community. Polly's sincere interest and empathy resulted in many devoted friends of all ages who often enjoyed a simple but delicious lunch at her kitchen table.
A highlight of Polly's life was her garden, which she tended single-handedly well into her later years, seeming effortlessly to create a gorgeous and unique combination of vegetables and flowers. An ardent and lifelong environmentalist, Polly was fiercely protective of the natural world, always looking for new ways to support native plants, birds and insects. She kept bees for many years, and her Hand's Cove honey was enjoyed by many. From her youth through her last day, Polly took a keen interest in politics. She was civic-minded, principled, well-informed, and never missed an opportunity to vote.
Polly's keen interest in a wide variety of good health practices served her well. For over fifty years, she meditated every morning. She was a committed practitioner of the Alexander Technique, and she loved walking. When Polly was 64, she and Bob (aged 70) climbed the Pic du Vignemale, a 10,820-foot peak in the French Pyrenees. Ten years later, they returned to climb the 11,168-foot Aneto.
Thoughtful, kind, and determined, Polly earned the respect and admiration of all and endeared herself to those who knew her well.
As the years passed, Bob and Polly's children and grandchildren were always around her. The family celebrates her life, love and lasting memory. In addition to her children and grandchildren, Polly leaves behind many beloved nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews. She was a devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend. A funeral mass will be scheduled for the fall at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Middlebury.
The family would like to suggest that instead of flowers, any donations be made to HOPE (Helping Overcome Poverty's Effects in Addison County, hope-vt.org) or to the Platt Memorial Library in Shoreham.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Pauline, please visit our floral store.