Ann Niles of Whitefield, Maine died peacefully on Jan. 12, 2025, with her sons at her side. 

Ann was born in Niagara Falls, New York on January 21, 1943, to Stephen and Jean Gulla. Born Ann Marie Gulla, she had three older siblings who she was close with (and later their spouses) throughout her life. Her earliest years in Niagara Falls were lived in Griffon Manor, a World War II worker housing community, where her kindness endeared her to neighborhood families and classmates with whom she formed a bond that would last a lifetime. She returned to New York every summer until her later years.

After high school Ann attended Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy, Massachusetts alongside a close friend from Niagara Falls.  There Ann studied elementary education and continued to make lasting friendships. On a visit to her roommate’s family in Maine, she met Wayne Niles, who she would marry the summer after she graduated in 1966. Ann and Wayne spent a year teaching in Greig, New York while living in Brantingham.  After New York, the couple moved to Maine and soon settled in an old farmhouse on Head Tide Road in Whitefield. It’s here that Ann started her family, raising her two boys at the farm along the banks of the Sheepscot River.  Ann and Wayne divorced in 1979.

Ann returned to teaching in Boothbay as a second grade teacher. She adored teaching second graders and imparting new knowledge, confidence and kindness to her class. She also always pointed out, “They are old enough to take themselves to the restroom, but still young and sweet enough that they don’t call you terrible names.” Her capabilities as an educator were recognized by her students, their parents and fellow faculty. She is remembered by many as a favorite teacher and a wonderful colleague. She remained teaching second grade at Boothbay Region Elementary School until she retired in 2007.  

Ann continued to live in Whitefield and raise her sons, attending nearly every one of their sporting events and volunteering wherever needed, including the Kings Mills VFD Auxiliary, where she was a staple at the “fishing pond” and bean bag toss every 4th of July.  During her years in Whitefield, she built new relationships through her kindness and openness and stayed close with her family, cherished friends and in-laws. She was always happy to lend a hand to neighbors and, more importantly, willing to accept an offered hand, whether to corral a rogue sheep or solve a plumbing emergency.

When her children started families of their own, she enthusiastically embraced the role of grandmother, always happy to assist with childcare, often taking her grandchildren for whole weekends filled with making cookies, reading books and exploring along the river. She was a prolific baker and rarely showed up to any gathering without one of her family-famous apple pies, and if you happened to be lucky enough to stop by the house around the holidays, you were treated to plates full of kolachky (or as she simply called them “prune cookies”).

Ann loved her vegetable and flower gardens, picking her raspberries and blackberries and enjoying her dahlias in the fall. Ann also had an appreciation of history, which revealed itself in a lifelong endeavor to historically preserve her house on Head Tide Road, as well as through volunteering at the Whitefield Historical Society and the Kings Mills Union Hall Association where she continued to grow and nurture lifelong friendships.

We will remember Ann as kind and gracious. Always giving much more than she took and consistently meeting her friends, family and neighbors with a warm smile.

Ann is survived by son Ben (partner - Ellen Brown) and their twins, Jane and Angus; and son Steve (wife - Holly Sheehan) and their sons, Caleb, Liam and Daniel.

A gathering to celebrate Ann’s life will be held at the Kings Mills Union Hall where she spent so much time.  The gathering will be on Saturday, April 12 from 2 to 4 p.m. All are welcome. Snacks and drinks will be available. 

Condolences may be expressed online at www.hobbsfuneralhome.com. 

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to either: The Kings Mills Union Hall Association, P.O. Box 49, Whitefield, ME 04353, or The Whitefield Historical Society, P.O. Box 176, Whitefield, ME 04353.