Patricia A. Rolfe

CAPE ELIZABETH – Patricia Ann Rolfe died peacefully on Thursday evening, Oct. 28, 2021, with her loving family by her side.She was born in Framingham, Mass., on Sept. 6, 1930, daughter of William T. Foley Sr., and Florence P. Foley. She was educated in local schools and graduated from then-Framingham State Teachers College.Pat and Frederick B. Rolfe of Portland were married in 1953. They made their home in Cape Elizabeth for a decade (during which time their children were born); then in South Portland for many years. After her husband’s death in 2010, Pat lived in Scarborough. She moved to The Landing in Cape Elizabeth in 2017. Pat loved nature, from flowers and berries to mountain and ocean views, and especially animate nature – birds and cats in particular. Her life was enriched by a succession of spoiled felines. In her adulthood this dynasty extended from Nicodemus to Ollie and Jack.Pat read constantly and widely: novels, history, biographies; magazines to which she subscribed; and every day of her life, newspapers. Her favorites were the Ellsworth American, the Boston Herald, the Bangor Daily News, and the Machias Valley News Observer.She loved Celtic music, and works by classical composers, Beethoven, Bach, Handel and Mozart among them.Jordan’s Beach (now Scarborough Beach State Park); Pine Point, and The Lobster Shack were her top summer destinations. A lifelong Red Sox fan, she compiled a massive scrapbook of newspaper clippings detailing the pennant-winning 1946 team’s season. Mom is survived by her four children: John (Audrey) Rolfe of Portland; Brian (Beth) Rolfe of Topsham; Betsy Carter of Portland; and Diane (Steven) Richeson of Rochester, N.Y.Nana is survived by seven grandchildren: Michael Rolfe (Katharine) of Westbrook; Stephen Rolfe (Lora) of Cumberland Center; Jamie Carter Logan (Bill) of Augusta; Tony Carter of Cincinnati, Tristan Rolfe of South Portland, and Hugh and Steven Richeson of New York.Great-Nana is survived by five great-grandchildren: Patrick, Benjamin and Charles Rolfe of Cumberland Center; Bill Logan of Augusta; and Margaret Rolfe of Westbrook.Aunt Pat is survived by nephews Stephen Foley (Judith) of Longmeadow, Mass.; William Foley III (Margaret) of Ada, Okla.; Mark Foley of Coventry, R.I.; nieces Neidra Foley Young of Ada, Okla., and Kemetia Foley (Brian) of York, Maine; and many grandnieces and grandnephews.Pat, as she was affectionately known to everyone, is also survived by her dear friend and first cousin Peggy Harris (Fred) of Brunswick, Maine.Pat was predeceased by her husband; by her younger brother, William T. Foley Jr. of Washington, D.C.; and by her son-in-law Richard E. Carter Jr. of Portland.Pat’s family is deeply grateful to the staff at The Landing for their friendship and their kind and devoted care. Our special thanks to Leslie Brown, Morgan Leger-Ouellette, Paula Harvey, and Josh Semba; to Karen Hanson and Deborah McCoy of Home Instead; and to Northern Light Hospice.At Pat’s request, there will be no visiting hours. A Mass at Saint Stephen Church in Framingham will be followed by burial at Saint Stephens Cemetery.


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