We wish our heartfelt condolences to the family and coworkers of IBEW 1837 member Paula McAuliffe who was struck and killed by a car while walking home from Christmas Eve mass. McAuliffe worked at WGME for 40 years before retiring in 2017.
“Paula was as genuine as they come. She worked behind the scenes at WGME, making a huge impact on the hundreds of employees who knew her," said Kaitlyn Hegarty, Business Representative for IBEW 1837. "She dedicated herself to what many would consider grueling hours – the morning shift - arriving at the station before the sun rose, and she did it with a smile. Paula leaves behind a long legacy at WGME.
According to her obituary, McAuliffe was born in Portland and graduated from Yarmouth High School in 1970 and the University of Maine, Gorham with a BA degree in education in 1974. Upon graduation she began her career at WGME where she worked in the production and news studio at the station. Hegarty said that McAuliffe was one of the key contributors to the launch of Daybreak, WGME’s first morning show.
"She saw the station through nearly every transformation over the decades with the frequent introduction of new technology," Hegarty said. "When I started as a producer right out of college, she meticulously reviewed every graphic just before it aired to catch any errors. Paula never let a typo go unnoticed on broadcast. As someone with a lot of typos, I was grateful she always had my back."
Those who knew her, remember McAuliffe as a "kind wonderful soul who performed an act of kindness to friends or strangers every day of her life"
"Newsrooms often evolve into close-knit communities," Hegarty added. "The work can be painstaking, but it becomes more bearable when you share it with people you love. Paula was well-loved and will always be remembered fondly by her many friends at WGME."