Ann Kochanek Pollock

After a long life full of family and friends, Anna K. Pollock pass away peacefully in her sleep on February 12, 2025 in Colorado Springs, Colorado

Ann was born Anna Kochanek on September 5, 1937 to hard-working Polish-American parents, Louis and Katherine Kochanek (née Mroz) in Dracut, Massachusetts. Family was the center of life for Ann, her parents and her older brother, Louie, with lots of love, laughter and home cooked meals. Ann would often reminisce of holiday family celebrations; starting at her eldest aunt’s house; eating; gathering family; then moving to the next sister’s house. Ann often found it amusing that the processions would inevitably end at their house, the smallest in the family. Ann would often visit the Mroz side of the family in North Adams in western Massachusetts. Another important part of her life was her membership at St. Casimir’s Polish National Catholic Church. Most of her extended family belonged and were active in the church. Growing up, Ann learned from her mother the importance of hard work as well as positively adapting to life’s changes. Ann learned from her father compassion and caring – he was not in good health, having had 2 bouts of Rheumatic fever. But he did what he could to help support the family.

Ann went to college at Lowell Tech to become a dietician. She eventually decided to change her major to education and switched to Framingham State Teacher College. While teaching at Chelmsford High School, she and her mother received a request from her brother, Louie, who was an Army Officer, to provide home-made meals for the troops with whom he was serving in Connecticut. They were both happy to support him and made all their favorite Polish foods from scratch. At this event, Ann caught the eye of another officer, William Pollock (Bill). They dated, with Bill making many trips to Dracut to visit her and meet many of Ann’s family, including her father. Unfortunately, during this time her father had his final bout of rheumatic fever and passed away. Ann expressed many times how grateful she was that he lived long enough to meet to love of her life, Bill. On June 30, 1962, Ann and Bill tied the knot.

Ann and Bill’s first duty assignment after their marriage was to Panama. While there, they welcomed their two children, Bill (born in 1964) and Kitty (born 1965). When they returned to the states 5 months after Kitty’s birth, it was to Baltimore during the winter. This new assignment posed new challenges: moving with infants; moving with more possessions than the started with; and moving from the tropics to a cold, snowy, wintery climate. But together they did it. Ann used this experience to help her prepare for the difficulties of Amy life of moving every 6 months to a year. In 1967, Bill went to Vietnam for a year. Ann moved in with her mother and started introducing her children to their extended family and Polish culture. Bill was sent to Vietnam for another year in 1971. Again, she moved in with her mother and embraced family and culture. In all, Ann successfully navigated 10 military moves. On long road trips to new duty assignments, she would often read to the family – on the way to Germany, she read Tom Sawyer on the road between Arizona and South Carolina, where the family would fly out. She then read Huckleberry Finn on the road between South Carolina to Arizona when we returned. She would always make sure that we all had what we needed and what would entertain us. If she needed to give up something so that others in the family could have extra space, she would do it. She was always the coraller of luggage and kids. While living in Arizona, Ann took a part time job working in a donut shop, then took substitute teacher positions to make sure that Bill and Kitty would be able to go to college. During her time substituting, she found her nitch working with handicapped children who gravitated to her.

After Bill retired from the Army, they eventually made their way to North Carolina where Bill found work. Ann was happy about this move because she was closer to her son, who lived in Virginia. Her daughter moved with then and finished college. Her son was working for NASA – she was proud of both. During this time, her mother, who was in poor health, moved in and Ann took care of her until she passed away. At the same time, her son met and married Brenda. She was ecstatic with the birth of her first grandchild and visited as often as she could. When her second grandchild was born, she lived with her son and his family, for a short time, to take care of him and his sister while their parents focused on moving. Due to Bill’s health issues related to the climate of North Carolina, they decided to move to Colorado. It was around this time that her son and daughter- in-law welcomed a third child.

Living in Colorado allowed Ann and Bill to reconnect with some old family friends and Bill was able to enjoy life in the new climate. But time was limited; Bill was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. As his world shrank, so did hers. Her number of friends dwindled, as they often do during such situations. She and her daughter became very close and she relied on her. It was difficult for her to see the changes in her husband. But she was stoic and remained positive and caring. She lost her husband, her “Poopsie”, on July 1, 2022.

Despite all the difficulties of losing her father early, the challenges of being an Army wife (especially during war time), and the “long goodbye” she went through with the love of her life, Ann remained a positive and strong person. She displayed kindness and compassion that was immediately recognized by those around her. She was a fantastic mother. There is no way we, her children, can fully describe the selfless sacrifices she made for her family, nor the love, care and compassion she showered on us.

We plan to intern Ann’s remains with her husband Bill in Pikes Peak National Cemetery. The graveside ceremony is scheduled for Friday morning, April 11 at 0900. Visitors must arrive by 0845 and line up in Lane 2. Other arrangements will be reserved for the family and close friends.

Ann was proceeded by her Husband, William Pollock, her brother Louis Kochanek, Louie’s wife, Cynnthia Kochanek, and her nephew, Bruce Kochanek. She is survived by her son, William “Bill” Pollock and his family in Virginia (wife Brenda and grandchildren Kristin, Joshua and Shannon); her daughter, Katherine “Kitty” Pollock; and her niece, Laurel “Laurie” Pennington (née Kochanek) of Florida. She is also survived by five nieces on her husband’s side (all née Willis): Mary Ann Littler, Sue Willis, Dianne Kampman, Jo Ann Blauer and Virginia Rue.

In her twilight years, Ann reflected on her Walk with the Lord. She spoke about her early life’s experiences as a member of the St. Casimir’s. The frequent moves of Army life made it difficult to find a church to regularly attend and they usually suffered from comparison to the sense of home and belonging experienced at St. Casimir’s. At the end, Ann commented on being ready; that she felt a presence that welcomed her to her next chapter. This realization, this extra awareness, comforts those who love her and helps to deal with this sad loss --- she will be missed.