1928 - 2015
COOPERSTOWN - Mrs. Elinor H. Pollock, 87, of Cooperstown, passed away peacefully Tuesday, November 3, 2015, at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown, surrounded by her family.
A native of Massachusetts, she was born April 16, 1928, in Beverly, youngest daughter of Maurice and Ruth (Pedersen) Hopkins. After graduation from high school, she studied at the New England Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing in Boston. Following her training, she stayed on to work at the Deaconess, and there met her future husband, Donald O. Pollock, while he was working his way through medical school. They were married June 7, 1953, at the First Baptist Church of Beverly.
The Pollocks first came to Cooperstown in 1955, when Don served his internship and residency at Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital. There followed a period of military service, which took the family to a succession of postings, including 2 1/2 years in Eritrea, East Africa. The Pollocks returned to Cooperstown in 1967.
Devoted to her family and community, Elinor freely gave of her time and service. She enjoyed working with the Red Cross, traveling throughout the region as part of the bloodmobile staff. And as a breast cancer survivor, Elinor willingly reached out to many with a message of encouragement and hope.
Perhaps most central to Elinor's life was her steadfast devotion to the First Presbyterian Church of Cooperstown, for it was there that she faithfully blended her love of family and God. A member since1969, Elinor sang in the Chancel Choir, served in church leadership as a Deacon and an Elder, as Treasurer and Clerk of Session, volunteered as a Sunday School Teacher, was a member and/or chair of numerous committees over the years, and participated fully in the women's association. A generation of young people will remember Elinor as the one who prepared the food for the weekly Thursday school gatherings at the Presbyterian Church.
In her leisure - and she did have some - Elinor enjoyed gardening, golf and playing Bridge. Before Alzheimer's Disease restricted her participation in those things she loved most, she excelled in exercising her gift of hospitality - making a meal, visiting a sick friend, arranging flowers from her garden, and sharing a smile.
Elinor is survived by her beloved husband of 62 years, Dr. Donald O. Pollock, of Cooperstown; four children and spouses, Donabeth and Gil Urick of Bonita Springs, Florida, Peter and Diana Pollock of Cooperstown, Sally and Bud Zaengle of Greene, and Jim and Sharon Pollock of Georgetown; nine grandchildren and one great grandson, Philip Zaengle and wife, Amanda, and their son, Henry, Owen Zaengle and wife, Emily, Sam Zaengle and wife, Donna, Helen Zaengle, Jacob Zaengle, Karl Zaengle, Mary Zaengle, Laurel Zaengle and Benjamin Pollock; also many nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her oldest son, the Rev. Stewart A. Pollock, and her siblings.
A Memorial Service to the Glory of God and in Thanksgiving for the Life of Elinor H. Pollock will be offered at 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 14, 2015, at the First Presbyterian Church of Cooperstown, with the Rev. Elsie A. Rhodes, pastor, officiating. Following the service there will be a time for refreshment and fellowship in the adjoining Chapel.
She will be laid to rest in The Columbarium in the Presbyterian Churchyard.
For those who wish to remember Elinor through a memorial gift, her family respectfully requests that donations be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Cooperstown, 25 Church Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326.
Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.
If you would like to send condolences to the family, send an email to Connell, Dow & Deysenroth. We will forward your comments to the family. If you would like to send flowers in memory of the deceased, contact Mohican Flowers at (607) 547-8822, or A Rose is a Rose at (607) 264-3100.
