Robert Victor Pollock

M, b. 23 April 1914, d. 13 February 2007
     Bob was born on Thursday, 23 April 1914 in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan, at the family home at 142 South Woodward Avenue.1 He was the son of Victor Montieth Pollock and Mary Ethel Meraw. He was christened there on 17 May 1914 in Royal Oak at the St. Mary's Church. He was christened by Father Needhem. His god parents were George & Annie Randall. He was often referred to as Bob. On 14 December 1934, he began working for the Detroit Edison Company. He served in the Air Force between 2 January 1943 & 6 March 1946.2 Bob married JoAnn Virginia Howell, daughter of Rice Alva Howell and Lucile Viola Leggett, on 30 May 1941 in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township at the Holy Name Church Rectory. Father David J. Duncan presided over the marriage. Billie Howell and Phil Pollock witnesses the couple. A reception followed in the gardens of the Howell home. On 30 May 1941, Robert & JoAnn resided at the Birmingham Manor Apartments at 327 Southfield. On 1 October 1950, they moved into their new home they had built at 695 Hanna Street, Birmingham. In 1951, they moved to 588 Southfield, Birmingham, the home in which JoAnn had been raised. In September of 1963, they moved to a smaller home at 917 South Glenhurst Drive, Birmingham. Bob retired from the Detroit Edison Company 1 May 1979.
 Robert's wife, JoAnn, died on 3 June 1992 in Birmingham at the family home at 917 South Glenhurst Drive leaving him a widower. Bob died on Tuesday, 13 February 2007 in Rochester Hills, Oakland County, Michigan, at the Nursing floor of the Mercy Bellbrook Retirement Center at age 92 years, 9 months and 21 days after an illiness of four weeks. He passed away peacefully in his sleep. His daughters had been able to spend some time with him earler in the day.


Death Notice: Robert Victor Pollock - Age 92, February 13, 2007. Beloved husband of the late JoAnn Virginia (nee Howell). Loving father of Kathleen Mary (Larry A.) McCurdy and Susan JoAnn (Carl H.) Schmidt. Dear grandfather of Kimberlee Sue (Timothy J.) Easterday, John Michael McCurdy, Melissa JoAnn (George J.) Zeeff, Carl Robert, Elisabeth Anne, and Emily Elisabeth Schmidt. Great-grandfather of Evelyn R. McCurdy and Gaia Arielle McCurdy. Funeral at Holy Name Church, 630 Harmon, Birmingham, Friday 10:30 a.m. Friends may visit at church beginning at 9:30 a.m. Arrangements entrusted to Lynch & Sons Funeral Directors, 248-435-0660. [Detroit Free Press - 15 February 2007]

Bob was laid to rest on Friday, 16 February 2007 in the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Southfield, Southfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan, alongside his wife. His funeral services were held at Holy Name Church. Bob's mother had headed fun raisers to build the first church and he served as an alter boy at the first mass performed in this church.

Citations

  1. [S400] Birth Record: State of Michigan Birth Certificate: Birth: 25 April 1914, Parents: Victor 38 years & Ethel 26 years. [Note: birth certificate in error - birth date of April 25th should be 23rd]
  2. [S429] Personal Note of Larry & Kathy McCurdy: Bob served in the Air Force between 2 January 1943 & 6 March 1946. He was inducted at Battle Creek. He was sent to St Petersburg, FL for Basic Training. He was first stationed at Harris Neck, St. Catherine's Island where he was taught Plane recognition. He spent time at Waycross, Georgia airfield where p-39's were used to train pilots. Bob and his friend Harry, where in town and spotted their wives, JoAnn and Juanita Mudge, walking toward them. They had come as a surprise visit, while there, JoAnn met a Sergeant assigned to personnel who was living near them there at the base. He asked JoAnn where Bob would like to be stationed, she said Hollywood, and soon Bob was sent to Hollywood. The unfortunate part of the transfer was the transport to California. He was sent on a troop train, which consisted of box cars with men loaded in much like cattle. They had no room to lay down, thus were forced to stand the entire trip. They had stop overs at Key Field in Mississippi, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. While on the train there was no food or water available leaving the troops weak and dehydrated when they did arrive at a base. Because of the conditions, and poor food preparation, many of the troops suffered from food poisoning and bed bug bites, when arriving at a stop west of Baton Rouge, Bob and most of the others literally crawled out of the cars. Once arriving in Hollywood, things became much better. Bob stayed at the Embassy Hotel while going to school at Southeastern. In the evenings he entertained himself by going to live performances of the Big Bands that were in town. One evening he went to the popular night club, Florentine Gardens. The club was very crowded and he ended up being seated next to the dance floor. At sometime during his stay, he saw Johnny Weissmueller drunk at a bar at lunch time. After his schooling, he was sent to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, in South Carolina; he was assigned as an investigator, but stayed only a short time before being stationed at Sufferage Field until March of 1945. He was then transferred to Lynn, Massachusetts, he stayed there for a month, then moved to Arye, Mass. (Fort Devens POW camp) and remained there until he was discharged. His assignment at the camp was to find where the missing POW's were and how they were getting out of the camp. The mystery was solved when it was discovered that the cook staff, women from the civilian community, many of them single, were taking the POW's home with them and boarding them in their homes. While stationed here, Bob received orders to go overseas, but the war ended before he was shipped. [autobiographical given orally to his daughter, Kathleen, 23 April 2003]