Mary Pauline “Polly” Verrier (Daye)

passed away at the age of 95 on December 25, 2025 at her home in Lake Wales, Florida surrounded by family.

Polly was born in 1930 to Luke and Christine Daye in North Sydney, Nova Scotia. Growing up on Cape Breton Island meant many adventures with her three sisters, numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and eventually a younger brother called “Buddy.” We grew up with stories about the Daye sisters walking to Uncle Danny’s store for ice cream, picking blueberries, and even one tale about them trading the berries on their way home for a goat that ended up eating the laundry off the clothesline in the back yard! Needless to say the goat was soon traded to the unsuspecting paperboy but rumor has it that our grandfather paid him to “buy” the goat.

After graduating high school Polly worked for the town hall and received season’s tickets to the local hockey team’s games. She ended up falling for one of the good looking American players. A blind date led to him coming over to her family’s house for dinner one night…you can imagine his surprise when he walked in to find all four of the Daye sisters and he had no idea which one was suppose to be his date.

In 1949 Polly married Bob Verrier, the hockey player, and they spent the next few years moving back and forth between Cape Breton in the winters so he could play hockey and then back to the United States in the spring in time to report for baseball spring training. In 1954, after keeping up this hectic pace for a few years with four small children in tow, they decided enough was enough and purchased a house in Burlington, MA. Bob joined the Burlington Fire Department, coached the hockey team, and Polly raised the kids along with their dog Scamp. When the kids were older she went to work for Zales, selling fine jewelry.

By the late 1970’s Polly and Bob found themselves to be empty nesters and getting a little restless so they packed up the Airstream and headed to Florida to try to find a spot for retirement. Only this time they would spend the winters where it was warm and save New England and Canada for the summer months. A chance stop to visit friends for the night in Saddlebag Lake Resort in Lake Wales, FL led to them purchasing an empty lot. Polly spent the better part of the next 42 years playing golf, tennis, cards with good friends, baking scones, and enjoying the sunshine. Polly also worked in the park’s library, was a member of the Women’s Club, played Bingo every week, and took part in water aerobics whenever she could. Polly made a number of good friends over the years at Saddlebags including, but not limited to, Joan, Ronnie, Beverly, Jean, Lynn, Anna, Shirley, and Penny.

Polly is predeceased in death by her parents Luke and Christine Daye, her sisters Marjorie (John Cook), Mabel (Victor Wallwork followed by Percy Danby) Madelyn “Bibs” (Mike Spooner), her brother Cyril “Buddy” Daye (Lois), and her son Robert E. Verrier, Jr.

Polly is survived by her half-siblings Luke, Robert, MaryAnne, Marlene; her sister-in-law Lillian Arseneaux (Peter), her brother-in-law Richard Verrier and his wife Gerri, and numerous nieces and nephews. Most importantly, Polly is survived by her lifelong partner and beloved husband Robert “Bob” Verrier, her daughters Janet Wilson (Ken), of Burlington, MA; Denise Ryan and her husband John of Lake Wales, FL; and Joanne Arbing and her husband Gary Arbing of Burlington, MA; seven grandchildren Erik, Amanda, Ami, Christopher, Mia, Robert III, and Justin. Her eight great grandchildren include Aiddin, Michael, Mark, John, Jake, Sage, Eloise, and Brady.

The family would like to thank the team from Good Shepherd Hospice and especially her nurse Andrea and her cna Simone. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Polly’s memory to a charity of your choice.

A memorial service will be held at a later date.