- Date Of Birth: February 12, 1925
- Date Of Death: August 29, 2017
- State: Pennsylvania
A Pittsburgh native, Carol Pollock moved in 1962 to a lovely farm outside of Connellsville with her husband John L. (Jack) Pollock (who predeceased her). She wholeheartedly became a part of the community there and served as Executive Director of the Greater Connellsville Chamber of Commerce for many years, as well as Executive Director of the Connellsville Area Educational Commission, and served on the Development Committee for Penn State Fayette Campus. The Rotary Club of Connellsville named her Citizen of the Year in 1967. Her love of nature and art led her to become a member and eventually President of the Pioneer Crafts Council in Fayette County (forerunner to Touchstone Center for Crafts), where she began her long career in the arts.
Eventually, she and Jack moved to a farm in Unity Township, where Carol continued her civic engagement. Her affiliations included the Westmoreland Symphony Board of Directors; Chairperson for the Westmoreland County division of the National Women’s Political Caucus; a bid for PA Representative of the 26th District; the Development Committee of Women’s Services (now the Blackburn Center); the Advisory Board for Threshold on the 21st Century, St. Vincent College; and Director of the Environmental Information Center, and Advisory Board Member, for the Westmoreland County Conservation District. WCCD also presented her the Outstanding Achievement in Conservation Award.
While pursuing her passion for art through studies at Seton Hill College, the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, and individual instruction from renowned regional artists, she established herself as a sculptor in metal and stone before turning to wearable art. She also nurtured other artists as owner of the Source, a Greensburg gallery, in the ’70s, and ultimately became the Gallery Director and Special Programs Coordinator at St. Vincent College, where she worked diligently to realize her mission to create a campus-wide art experience with installations of original art. In honor of her dedication to this effort she was awarded the St. Vincent College Presidential Medal of Honor.
After the passing of Jack, Carol met her second husband, Harold Grey, a landscape architect, and developed her farm into High Meadows and the Highlands. Carol and Harold became involved in the Master Gardener program and devoted their time to beautifying the grounds at St. Vincent as well as supporting the Conservation District.
Carol has been deeply loved by her family: Jack, her husband and the father of their children, Carol Ann (Pollock) Johnston, who predeceased her, and Donald Curtis Pollock; Harold Grey, who predeceased her; her former son-in-law, J. Lawson Johnston; her daughter-in-law, Irene (Renie) Pollock; her grandsons, Craig Johnston, Douglas Johnston (and his wife, Holly), Curtis Pollock (and his wife, Aja), and Ross Justin Pollock; and her great-grandchildren, Betty Johnston (8 years), Isla Johnston (6 years), and Jack Pollock (8 months).
The family would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to our friends who have helped us through this difficult time and our hospice team of Heartland Hospice with their wonderful support – Lannie Podolinski, Susan Malloy, and Shari Taylor.
