Carole Matthews

FALMOUTH — Carole Ann Matthews, 72, of Falmouth, died Monday, Oct. 10, 2016, after a brief illness.

Born in Portland, she was the daughter William A. and Dorothea Utterstum Cassidy Sr.

She was a graduate of Portland High School, Class of 1962, and graduated from the University of Maine with a bachelor’s degree in 1966. From 1967-1970, she taught English in Hampton, Va. From 1970-1984, she taught English at Deering High School, where, as drama coach, she directed West Side Story. According to her students, she literally “made the show.” Beyond the classroom, she developed curriculum and mentored student teachers.

After a sabbatical in 1984-1985, she left teaching to pursue a graduate program in psychology at Harvard University, earning a master’s of arts degree in 1990. She was awarded highest honors for research on “achievement motivations and job satisfaction in women entrepreneurs and managers.”

Carole was co-owner and administrative management for Matthews Construction, and managed the company with her late husband, Ronald Matthews. The business operated for 15 years in the Greater Portland area until Ron’s death in 2002.

In 2005, she returned to her first love, teaching. Prior to her death, she was an instructor in psychology at Husson University in Scarborough. According to her brother, she was headed directly into a Ph.D. program in neuroscience, when sidetracked with a diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a degenerative and fatal brain disorder affecting about one person per million per year, worldwide.

According to her brother, “Carole was a much-respected teacher who made a meaningful difference in the lives of her students.” She had many hobbies: swimming, sailing, reading, sewing and gardening.

She is survived by a brother, William A. Cassidy Jr., of Raymond; a sister, Lois P. Shands, of Auburn, Ala.; and several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by a sister, Annette M. Beckwith.

Private services were held at Pine Grove Cemetery, where she was interred. Arrangements are entrusted to Wilson Funeral Home. Condolences may be offered at: www.wilsonfhllc.com

Donations may be made to the Richards Wing, Maine Medical Center, 22 Bramhall Street, Portland, ME 04102 or Ledgewood Manor Home, 200 Route 115, Windham, ME 04062.