Obituary for Thelma Knight Pollard
Thelma Knight Pollard, 85, of Hollis NH, passed away, at home, on Saturday, May 2, 2020. She was our beloved mother and nana; friend to so many.
Thelma was born in Boston, MA and moved several times in her younger years, including Springfield, MA. In East Chatham, NY they lived on a farm and she attended a one-room schoolhouse. When they moved to Newton, MA, she was able to skip a grade level. She graduated at age 17 from Newton High School. She began working as a secretary even before graduating, eventually becoming secretary to the Massachusetts Division President of Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing (3M).
Thelma married her high school sweetheart, Robert R. Pollard on September 16, 1962, in Rockport, MA, which was a special place to both of them. They lived in Wellesley, MA for a few years before moving to Hollis, NH where Thelma lived for over 54 years. They both became active members of their community and raised two daughters there. Volunteering and mothering became her full-time occupations. She was a 50+ year member of the Congregational Church of Hollis, U.C.C., where she served on various boards and in many volunteer positions.
In the Hollis community, Thelma was probably most associated with the Girl Scouts. She was a leader, service unit manager, trainer and served in other Council level positions for over 30 years. She received the Thanks Badge (the highest adult recognition in GS), from the Swift Water Girl Scout Council in recognition of her many years of exemplary service to the organization. Thelma touched the lives of thousands of girls, as a leader, role model, mentor and friend. She kept in contact with many of “her girls”, sometimes having the daughters and granddaughters of her early troop members, in her later troops.
She received several awards, honors and accolades for her volunteer work. She was also proud to have been chosen as NH Mother of the Year 2001, through the American Mothers organization.
Thelma volunteered through the town of Hollis, including as a member of the Old Home Day committee, at the polls on election days, in the schools and with the Friends of the Hollis Library and Hollis Historical Society.
She loved to do all kinds of handicrafts such as knitting, crocheting and cross stitch. She was a lifelong birdwatcher with several feeders in the backyard, which continue to attract many species as well as squirrels, deer and even a bear! Making large holiday dinners was a lot of work but she loved doing it and having all of the family around the dining room table. She liked to travel, especially to Walt Disney World with her grandchildren. Thelma was an avid jigsaw and crossword puzzle enthusiast.
Thelma was also known for the thousands of birthday cards that she would send to friends, her children’s friends, former Girl Scouts and others over many years. She would even send cards after children grew up, left home and/or moved away.
Of all the things Thelma did in her life, her favorite role was that of mother and nana.
Thelma was predeceased by her husband, Bob, and her parents, Dorothy and Edmund Knight. She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law: Susan and Robert Spellman, of Auburn, ME and Deborah and William Drouin, of Brookline, NH; and grandchildren: Sara R. Spellman, Jacob Spellman and Robert Drouin. She was extremely proud of her family!
There will be a private graveside service. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date, when all of Thelma’s friends will be invited to share time and memories with her family.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Thelma’s memory, to the Congregational Church of Hollis, 3 Monument Square, Hollis, NH 03049 or Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains, 1 Commerce Dr., Bedford, NH 03110.
Thelma was born in Boston, MA and moved several times in her younger years, including Springfield, MA. In East Chatham, NY they lived on a farm and she attended a one-room schoolhouse. When they moved to Newton, MA, she was able to skip a grade level. She graduated at age 17 from Newton High School. She began working as a secretary even before graduating, eventually becoming secretary to the Massachusetts Division President of Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing (3M).
Thelma married her high school sweetheart, Robert R. Pollard on September 16, 1962, in Rockport, MA, which was a special place to both of them. They lived in Wellesley, MA for a few years before moving to Hollis, NH where Thelma lived for over 54 years. They both became active members of their community and raised two daughters there. Volunteering and mothering became her full-time occupations. She was a 50+ year member of the Congregational Church of Hollis, U.C.C., where she served on various boards and in many volunteer positions.
In the Hollis community, Thelma was probably most associated with the Girl Scouts. She was a leader, service unit manager, trainer and served in other Council level positions for over 30 years. She received the Thanks Badge (the highest adult recognition in GS), from the Swift Water Girl Scout Council in recognition of her many years of exemplary service to the organization. Thelma touched the lives of thousands of girls, as a leader, role model, mentor and friend. She kept in contact with many of “her girls”, sometimes having the daughters and granddaughters of her early troop members, in her later troops.
She received several awards, honors and accolades for her volunteer work. She was also proud to have been chosen as NH Mother of the Year 2001, through the American Mothers organization.
Thelma volunteered through the town of Hollis, including as a member of the Old Home Day committee, at the polls on election days, in the schools and with the Friends of the Hollis Library and Hollis Historical Society.
She loved to do all kinds of handicrafts such as knitting, crocheting and cross stitch. She was a lifelong birdwatcher with several feeders in the backyard, which continue to attract many species as well as squirrels, deer and even a bear! Making large holiday dinners was a lot of work but she loved doing it and having all of the family around the dining room table. She liked to travel, especially to Walt Disney World with her grandchildren. Thelma was an avid jigsaw and crossword puzzle enthusiast.
Thelma was also known for the thousands of birthday cards that she would send to friends, her children’s friends, former Girl Scouts and others over many years. She would even send cards after children grew up, left home and/or moved away.
Of all the things Thelma did in her life, her favorite role was that of mother and nana.
Thelma was predeceased by her husband, Bob, and her parents, Dorothy and Edmund Knight. She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law: Susan and Robert Spellman, of Auburn, ME and Deborah and William Drouin, of Brookline, NH; and grandchildren: Sara R. Spellman, Jacob Spellman and Robert Drouin. She was extremely proud of her family!
There will be a private graveside service. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date, when all of Thelma’s friends will be invited to share time and memories with her family.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Thelma’s memory, to the Congregational Church of Hollis, 3 Monument Square, Hollis, NH 03049 or Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains, 1 Commerce Dr., Bedford, NH 03110.