For more than three decades, ‘Kitty’ Goudreau taught English and became one of Biddeford’s most beloved teachers. Her former students include the city’s police chief, a former mayor, a city councilor and several local business owners.
By RANDY SEAVER | Editor
Like so many other people in Biddeford, the news knocked me back on my heels.
This morning, Peg Pothier of Biddeford shared hat her mother – Catherine “Kitty” Goudreau passed away peacefully just a few days ago.
For nearly four decades, I have had the pleasure and honor of interviewing several fascinating and remarkable people — presidential candidates, musicians, policy leaders, senior military personnel and artists — but few interviews stand out to me like my conversation with Kitty Goudreau a little more than two years ago.
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Even writing this tribute is both a bit troubling and certainly intimidating. Those who make their living as writers tread quite cautiously when writing about highly respected English teachers such as Ms. Goudreau.
For more than three decades, Kitty taught English and became one of Biddeford’s most beloved teachers. Her former students include the city’s police chief, a former mayor, a city councilor and several local business owners.
But Kitty Goudreau was also a fiercely independent community leader who served on the Biddeford City Council at a time when such positions were dominated by men and meetings were raucous. She once recalled a disgruntled citizen literally threatening to “break the mayor’s kneecaps.”
A former city councilor, she
recalled when an angry citizen
threatened to break the
mayor’s kneecaps
My own connection to Kitty goes back to when I was roughly six months old.
According to both my mother and Kitty, my young parents were visiting Kitty and her husband Bob at their Biddeford home only a few months after I was born.
As the story goes, my parents laid me on a bed in one of the bedrooms and let me sleep while they played cards and socialized in an adjacent room.
Apparently, while left unsupervised, I rolled off the bed and then rolled under it. When they went to leave, my parents were horrified. I was nowhere to be found because I was asleep, but still under the bed.
“Well, that explains a lot,” I laughed during a conversation with my mother earlier today, “I must have hit my head when I rolled off the bed.”
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One-on-one with Kitty Goudreau | A Local Spotlight feature
The following is an interview I wrote for Saco Bay News in February 2024, when Kitty graciously allowed me to come into her home and “chat for a bit.”
She was so warm and inviting. Over the next hour, I found myself laughing and captivated by her stories and recollections of the “old days” in Biddeford.
Catherine “Kitty” (Hoyt) Goudreau, 82, was born and raised in Biddeford. She grew up with her extended family on Orchard Street and graduated from Biddeford High School in 1960.
In 1964, just after graduating from the University of Maine Orono with a degree in education, Kitty married a “Biddeford boy,” the late Bob Goudreau. The couple raised two children, Peggy and Robert.
She also served on the city council in the early 1980s, a time when old-school politics still dominated City Hall and disgruntled residents literally threatened to “break the mayor’s knee caps.”
Biddeford Police Chief Joanne Fisk described Goudreau as “the best human I know.” Another former student, Joshua Lachance, said Goudreau was his favorite teacher. “She had high expectations and pushed us to give our best, but always made us laugh,” he said.
Goudreau said teaching seventh-grade students could be challenging. “It’s a difficult age, but I understood their awkwardness. “They were very gullible and believed everything I told them,” she laughed. “Some of the boys would act up but they were all basically good kids.”
One of those boys who would “act up” was Biddeford City Councilor Marc Lessard.
“She was a truly wonderful teacher, and left a lasting impression with me,” Lessard recalled. “She was fair, but very firm. She really helped me become the person I am today.”
Lessard shared a somewhat hilarious anecdote about one of the pranks he pulled in Goudreau’s classroom.
“I put tiny pieces of chalk in her eraser,” he said. “That way, when she went to erase the blackboard, she would actually be making more marks on the blackboard. She knew exactly who the culprit was.”
“She was fair, but very firm.
— City Councilor Marc Lessard
She really helped me become
the person I am today.”
Goudreau said she enjoys running into her former students.
“Whenever I go anywhere, they seem to appear out of the woodwork,” she smiled. “They often seem amazed that I remember them. But I’ve also gone to many of their funerals. (Pauses) That bothers me terribly. They were wonderful children.”
You taught 13-year-olds for more than three decades. Are kids today better or worse than they were when you started teaching in the 1960s?
“I have faith in the upcoming generation. Children haven’t really changed much at all. They need attention, discipline and understanding.
“I had students who ended up going to jail (Laughs), but the majority were wonderful kids. Some of them called me Mrs. Badreua instead of Mrs. Goudreau (Laughs) I loved it.”
You served on the city council in the 1970s and 1980s. What made you want to serve on the council?
“I didn’t really decide to run (Laughs) I was first approached out of the blue to run by Willie Pombriant who was on the council and wanted to be mayor.
“I lost my first election, but I didn’t give up. It was still a challenging time back then for women who wanted to be involved in politics. The first time I ran, a bunch of us who were running with Roger “Tiny” Frechette went to a meeting at a supporter’s home to discuss strategy.
“A lot of the wives came with us to that meeting for a night out. At one point, a gentleman said, “Now, Kitty why don’t you go into the kitchen with the other women? I just got up, looked at him, went into the kitchen and got my coat. I walked out the door, and they were all looking at me, trying to figure out what had happened.” (Laughs)
“I just thought I could give something back to my community.”
What was it like to serve on the council back then?
“Oh, it was a simpler time, except for the trash issue. We were facing a lot of pressure and fines after fines from the state about our landfill. It was becoming a very big problem.
“I was on the council that voted for the trash incinerator downtown. I still – even now – rue the day that I voted to approve that mess. It is one of my biggest regrets. We were told that there were no other solutions. It was a very big mistake. I was very glad to see it leave.
“I still – even now – rue the day
–– Kitty Goudreau
that I voted to approve that mess.
MERC was one of my biggest regrets.”
Any fond memories of your time on the council?
“Local politics were a bit boisterous then and there was some humor in it (Laughs). I won’t give you any names, but we were dealing with a zoning issue and this fellow — who owned quite a bit of land in that area — was very angry about a possible zoning change.
“He threatened to break the mayor’s kneecaps if he didn’t get his way. A few days later, his attorney asked to meet with me. I went to his office, and he took a phone call. He talked and talked on the phone. So, I got up and told him I was leaving.
“I was walking to my car and thinking, gosh I hope no one is going to break my kneecaps. (Laughs).
As an English teacher, do you ever cringe when you hear bad grammar?
“Oh yes, there are things that grate on me. For example, when people say ‘between you and I’ it drives me over the edge. I don’t why it bothers me so.” (Laughs)
You also co-authored a children’s book.
“My very dear friend Dennis Twomey who has since passed away worked for Guy Gannett Publishing.
“Denny approached me because they promoted authors, and Gannett Publishing was looking for a story about the first American-bred dog, the Boston Terrier. I had a fascination with these dogs. My neighbor used to raise them, and I had one.
“His name was Boss, but in the book, he became Patch the Pup, which was Gannett’s decision, not mine (Laughs). It took us about six months to write it. It was titled Patches the Pup: A Winter Adventure in Maine.
One of your former students says you and the lessons you taught him in your seventh-grade English class are the primary reasons he was able to get into Dartmouth and make his living today as a writer.
“Oh, I would not go that far (Laughs). I’m certainly glad that he enjoyed my class, but his success – anyone’s success – comes from determination and hard work. I’m just honored to be one of the people who helped him along the way.”
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BIDDEFORD GAZETTE 