Date of Birth:
Monday, October 14, 1935
Date of Death:
Monday, May 29, 2023
Age:
87 years old

Norma Frances Pollack

Norma Frances Fischer Pollack October 14, 1935- May 29, 2023

A trailblazer ahead of her time; a feminist who wouldn’t be told what to do by anyone and we mean ANYONE; an environmentalist and a conservationist before climate change was even on the radar; the Queen of Digressions; the life of the party; the loudest in the room; opinions for days, and to use her own words to sum up her personality: “Put a microphone in my hand and it’s the best feeling in the world.”

Although Mom suffered from rheumatoid arthritis since childhood, she never let it stop her from achieving anything she put her mind to. Growing up on the farm in New Ulm, she learned the value of hard work. She took that work ethic to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester and worked as a medical secretary for the world-renowned orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Mark Coventry. She liked to say it took three people to replace her when she left. Fact or myth? We’ll never know.

She found the perfect partner in our Dad, Cletus. They married in Rochester in 1962 and danced together for as long as they could until Mom’s hip sidelined her. They were active in the senior center in Rochester taking on many roles in leadership through the years. They loved traveling together throughout the United States and abroad. Off they’d go on this adventure or that. They were a creative team at home too. Mom would have the creative spark and Dad would make it happen. A pink kitchen floor, really, are you sure? She could see it in her mind’s eye, and Dad brought her visions to life. Together, they believed it was important to do for others that had less. She made hundreds of apple pies for the Dorothy Day House (the homeless shelter in Rochester) and The Battered Women’s Shelter. Of course, Dad fashioned an ingenious carrier for the pies for the trunk of her car.

At home she raised three amazing, beautiful children (You can’t contradict us now, Mom!). She worked as a typist for a court reporter. The ball on the IBM Selectric typewriter couldn’t keep up with her; she was FAST. But dear Lord, beat a fast retreat from the room if she made a mistake. This was in the days of carbon copies and erasers. She took what she earned and fattened up her retirement accounts. “I’m off to meet with Joe!”, she’d say, referring to one of her many stockbrokers. Or, “I’m off to Toastmasters!”, she’d say, after dashing off her speech with minutes to spare. She was better on the fly anyway. Or, “I’m off to Quilter’s!”, unabashedly acknowledging her unfinished projects.  She hated cooking and cleaning, hence the creation of “Kitchen Duty” in the summer for the kids. There was always something more infinitely interesting to be doing, to be reading, to be learning…… We’re guessing right about now she’s having a heated discussion and/or having a laugh with Mark Twain and Will Rogers. For those of you who knew her, we know you remember that laugh too.

She is survived by Cletus Pollack, her husband of sixty years, her children Stephen, Jane, and Katherine Vander Weit (George), her grandchildren, Jacob Vander Weit (Becca), Rachel Vander Weit and Rachel’s longtime boyfriend, Alfredo Araujo.  She is also survived by her sister-in-law Diane Fischer, and many nieces and nephews.    She was predeceased by her parents, Wenzel and Tina Fischer of New Ulm, and her siblings Irene (Ray) Ubl, Leona (John) Stueber, Jerome (Diane) Fischer, and Myra Fischer.  Her family would like to acknowledge the wonderful care she received by the staff at Rochester East Health Systems, and Seasons Hospice these last few years of her life.

A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, June 17, 2023, in the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home at 11:00am. The visitation will be held from 10:00am to 11:00am on Saturday. The burial will be in the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Preston, MN.

If you wish, please make memorials to any organization for the welfare of animals. Mom especially loved horses and had a soft heart for dogs and cats as well.

Her family has benefited from the many quilts she has made during the years.  If you want to see an example of Mom’s craftwork, we are very proud of her square in the Heritage Quilt displayed at the Rochester Public Library.