Polly lost her 49 year battle with Systemic Scleroderma on February 11th, 2013 in Santa Barbara at the Samarkand Retirement Community. Polly is survived by her 4 children, David, Sandie, Kari and Jim, as well as 5 grand children.
Born in New Haven Connecticut, Polly was raised in Wonalancet, New Hampshire, on a rural farm where the family moved when Polly was a youngster. She attended Gould Academy and University of New Hampshire where she met the love of her life, TomBazemore, on a blind date. They were married for 62 wonderful years.
Polly was an active person, who loved being outdoors, where she excelled in 4H, blazed ski trails for the all boys ski team (no women allowed then) and set records climbing the New Hampshire White Mountains. She also raised and raced sled dogs, as well as caring for the 20 dogs of service men during the 2nd World War. She had many wonderful stories from this time in her life.
After she married Tom she raised 4 children, was a Girl Scout Leader, swim instructor and Camp Director. She was happiest doing outdoors activities. She went back to college after 25 years and completed her Fine Arts Degree. She was an avid landscape and abstract painter. She also loved pottery, needlepoint and sewing. She and Tom were intrepid travelers, both in their motor home throughout the USA, and abroad to places such as Costa Rica, Norway, and New Zealand.
Polly was a 10 year volunteer at the Braille Institute, and was active with the formation of the Scleroderma Support Group in Santa Barbara and the National Scleroderma Foundation.
In addition to Tom and her family, she also had an abiding passion for the beach, sailing and searching for beautiful sea shells.
There will be a small, private family service where her ashes will be committed to the sea she loved so much. In lieu of flowers please make a donation in her name to the Scleroderma Foundation at
www.scleroderma.org.
