Pauline Kenniston Obituary

Pauline Kenniston - Westbrook, Maine

Pauline passed away on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, surrounded by her family. She was born Pauline June Whitten in Brunswick, Maine, on November 30, 1936, the third of seven children to Owen and Clara Morang Whitten. At the age of nine, the family moved to Freeport, Maine, where she graduated as class valedictorian from Freeport High School in 1954.

After graduating, she attended Gorham State Colllege, where she met her first husband, Philip Kilburn. She taught school for one year before becoming a wife and mother of six children. They lived in Westbrook, Maine. After her divorce in 1974, she continued to raise her family in Westbrook until 1987. In 1975, she began her relationship with the love of her life, Fred Kenniston of Scarborough. They married in 1987 and were together until his passing in 2003. During their marriage they did extensive traveling.

Pauline's professional career began as a teacher, but for most of her life she was an administrative assistant and legal secretary. She worked for American Steel, Megquier & Jones, Pierce Atwood Scribner, and retired from Jensen Baird Gardner & Henry. Her hobbies included gardening, painting, theater, and running. Running was more than a hobby to her. It was a lifestyle choice.

The running began in the early 1980's with her first road race several years later. It soon took a life of its own, with her placing in her age category in every race she entered. She escalated to half and full marathons, running dozens of races at each distance across the United States and Canada. The accolades continued over five decades, culminating with inductions into the New England 65 and over Running Hall of Fame in 2010, and The Maine Running Hall of Fame in 2014. She ran each Beach to Beacon 10K beginning in 1998 until this past August 2025.

She always enjoyed spending time with her family, which included six children, ten grandchildren, and nine great grandchildren, as well as plenty of extended family.

She was pre-deceased by her daughter, Cathy Kilburn, her parents Owen and Clara Whitten, siblings Owen (Butch) Whitten, Pamela Grogan, Eleanor Herrick, and Joan Blackstone. Her survivors are her children, Steve, Jeff and wife Carol, Cindy, Diane, and Jim. Surviving siblings are Carol and husband Paul Brewer, and Kenneth Whitten and wife Debbie.

Services will be held at Dolby, Blais, & Segee in Westbrook on Sunday March 8 from 4:00-7:00 p.m., with church services the following day at The First Congregational Church 167 Black Point Road, Scarborough Maine at 11 a.m.. A reception will follow. Burial services will be in the spring at Black Point Cemetery in Scarborough.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Pauline's name to the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland.