Rocky Pollard

ROCKY POLLARD (Darrell Lee Pollard) Rocky passed away at home on August 16 after a long battle with cancer. He was born in Centralia, WA on March 14, 1937 to Daisy (Ames) and Fred Pollard. It was several months before he was named Darrell Lee, but he was called Rocky from birth. His parents divorced at an early age and his grandparents, Frank and Louise Pollard, began raising Rocky. He and his cousin, Brady Pollard, were raised as brothers and remained close throughout their lives. When Rocky was 8, his father remarried to Lilly Ward and they began raising Rocky with the loving help of his grandparents and Aunt Geri Coleman. Rocky was a loving and wonderful son to Lilly and Fred Pollard and Daisy Ames-Danford. Rocky was proud of his heritage. His grandfather, Frank Pollard, emigrated from England, and the Ames clan homesteaded in Lincoln Creek. Rocky attended Galvin and Centralia schools. He served in the US Navy from 1956-1960. When he returned to Centralia in February of 1960, he met Patty Workman. They were married in March of 1961. For the next 16 years they lived in Camp Grisdale in the Olympic National Forest. Rocky was on the Rig-up crew, and also worked as a transfer engineer and log truck driver. While in Grisdale he made many close friends. He coached basketball and was always playing baseball or football with his sons and the neighborhood kids. He loved joking and telling stories to the neighborhood kids. In 1977 they moved to the Big Hanaford Rd and he began working for WIDCO at the Centralia coal mine. Again he made many close friends. In 1988 they moved to the Rochester area which he dubbed “Downtown Grand Mound”. He retired in 1999. Rocky was a man of his word, loved a good joke, laughed a lot, and was a faithful and wonderful husband, father, grandfather and friend. He was always helping someone out even when he was ill. He lived a wonderful full life. He lived as an example for his sons and grandchildren. They all loved Grandpa Rocky. He is preceded in death by his grandparents, parents; brother, Wes Day, nephews, Skipper Day and Robbie Pollard; and his son, Frank E. Pollard. He is survived by his wife, Patty of 44 years; sons, Steve (Stephanie) Pollard of Kirkland, WA and Dave (Holly) Pollard of Chehalis, WA; grandchildren, Kayla Pollard of Seattle, WA, Matt Pollard of Chehalis, WA, Brady Pollard of McGuire AFB, NJ, Danielle Pollard, Dakin Pollard, and Austin Edinger, all of Chehalis; mother, Lilly Pollard and mother-in-law, Liz (Workman) Riccardo both of Centralia; aunts, Florence Bell of Casper, WY, Geri Coleman, and Mildred Workman both of Centralia; siblings, Ernie Bach of Jackson, CA, Bill (Nancy) Pollard, Bob (Janie) Pollard, Danna (John) Foster, Gary (Darlene) Danford, all of Michigan; cousin, Brady (Jan) Pollard of Longview, WA, brother and sisters-in-law, Dreena (Bob) Nunnally of Creswell, OR, Jim (Barb) Workman of Concordia, KS and Barbara Peters of Elma, WA, and his best friend of 40 years Leah Rae (Steve) Lauerman of Grapeview, WA. He is survived by numerous cousins, nephews and nieces whom he loved and were very close to him. He also is survived by many friends who will smile when they think of Rocky. He enjoyed attending Grisdale reunions and family reunions, and attended the First Church of Nazarene in Centralia, WA. In lieu of flowers please donate in Rocky’s memory to: Providence SoundHomeCare and Hospice PO Box 5008 Lacey, WA 98509 or First Church of Nazarene 1119 W. First St. Centralia, WA 98531 Cremation was arranged by Funeral Alternatives of Washington, Tumwater. A memorial will be at the First Church of the Nazarene, Saturday, August 27 at 11:00 am.