Mary “Kathy” Kathryn Pollock

Pollock

Mary “Kathy” Kathryn Pollock, passed away September 28, 2024, at Camden Clark Medical Center, from complications with pneumonia. She was born May 17, 1951, a daughter to the late Stephen and Frances Koreski (Storage).

Kathy is survived by her husband Michael Pollock; children Christopher Pollock and Emily Bailey (Joe); grandchildren Arian Pollock, Landon Pollock, Kristopher Bailey, Scarlet Bailey, Noah Bailey, and Briar Bailey; siblings Stephen Koreski and Antonnia Fullen and sister-in-law Nancy Swats; special cousin and friend Brenda McClain, and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Along with her parents, she is preceded in death by her in-laws George and Betty Pollock.

“Teachers touch lives” is more than a saying. It was what Kathy lived by. Kathy was born to teach. From the time she was a little girl playing school with her dolls, stuffed animals and her baby sister, she knew she wanted to be a teacher. And she never strayed from that dream. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Fairmont State University and Masters Degree from WVU. In 1972, the year we were engaged, her first teaching assignment was 5th grade at Park Elementary School until it closed. Then on to Criss Elementary until she was “promoted to motherhood” when Emily was born. A leave of absence lasted 10 years until our son Chris was midway through elementary school. In elementary school Kathy taught all subjects but her favorite subject and first love was English. Her favorite grade level was always 5th. Kathy transferred to Hamilton Middle school and taught 6th grade English until she retired in 2015 due to a medical issue called burning mouth syndrome. It broke her heart to retire in the middle of March and not be able to finish the school year with her students. Later when asked how she liked retirement, her short answer was “I’d rather be teaching”. If the topic of a successful businessman, scientist or world leader would come up, Kathy would always add, “They all had one thing in common. They all had teachers first”.

Kathy loved sharing her passion for teaching with future teachers. She never missed an opportunity to mentor a student teacher and share her love for teaching with them. Kathy literally taught and touched the lives of thousands of children. While they were in her charge, they were “her children” on loan from their parents and that’s the way she treated them. They knew it, felt it and responded to it. At the end of the day, a child never left her class room without a pat on the head or a little hug before going home. I always felt a little sorry for the students that never had Kathy as a teacher.

Kathy followed each class until they graduated from high school. It was a sad day when the LAST group of students she taught graduated and the realization that there were no more of “her kids” to follow. Teachers are like that.

Following retirement, Kathy taught English as a Second Language for several semesters, to foreign student/athletes at Ohio Valley University. She loved teaching the older “kids” who came from countries including Greece, Spain, Columbia, Brazil and Japan. She was overwhelmed by the respect they showed their instructors and willingness to learn. It was no surprise many became personal friends.

Those first 10 in-between years, when she focused first on family, were an (increasingly-rare now-days) blessing. Kathy made sure Emily was able to stay home with her first-born, and Kathy’s first grand-child. “There’s only one first year,” she wisely shared. Her last day of work, as a veteran teacher, was as a substitute teacher for Emily.

Kathy will be forever missed by her husband, family, friends, neighbors near and far, former coworkers and former students.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to St. Jude Children’s Hospital (very near and dear to her heart). Envelopes will be provided.

Dress Code for Funeral: There is no dress code but anything with “butterflies” is more than appropriate. Kathy loved butterflies and they are also the symbol of the resurrection. What the caterpillar calls death, the butterfly calls new life.

Visitation will be Friday, October 4th at Leavitt Funeral Home from 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Wake Service at 7:30 p.m. – Deacon Steve Wharton.

Funeral Mass will Saturday, October 5th at 11:00 am at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church – Celebrant Father Abraham.

Graveside Service at Mt. Carmel Catholic Cemetery.

Funeral Mass will be “live-streamed” at stmmdwc.org starting at 11:00.

The family would like to extend special thanks to the nursing staff at Camden Clark Medical Center, especially her two former students, Karen and Tesa, that assisted her there.

Online condolences may be left at www.leavittfuneralhome.com.