- Date Of Birth: July 21, 1926
- Date Of Death: October 2, 2019
- State: Michigan
Polly Hoy-Colton, a Midland resident for 70 years, and beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother, died Wednesday October 2, 2019 at her residence.
Esther Polly Farr was born July 21, 1926 in Westfield, NY, the eldest of five children of Alice and Alfred Farr. She attended Lake Erie College for Women, majoring in biology with a minor in physical education. Her college roommate invited her home to Michigan, where they attended a fraternity party at Michigan State University. While there, Polly met her future husband, John Hoy, who was the love of her life. “God, how could I be so sure after a week?” he wrote in a letter shortly after they met. They were married in 1948 and settled in Midland, where they raised their three daughters and a son.
Much of her life revolved around family and friends. She loved entertaining, traveling, cooking and shopping. Polly scoured antique shops to decorate Bellows Place; her summer home on Chateaugay Lake, in the Adirondack Mountains of NY, where she was especially proud of her beautiful flower gardens. Her love of gardening was fostered by her membership in the Great Lakes Gardeners Club. In addition to summers on Chateaugay Lake, Polly loved to visit the Chautauqua Institute in Mayville, New York, to nurture her love of learning.
As a young woman, she enjoyed sailing in regattas with her father on Chautauqua Lake. She played field hockey in college and loved waterskiing, downhill skiing, sailing and canoeing. She carried her love of physical fitness throughout her life, teaching exercise and swimming classes for many years at the Midland Community Center. She started Camp Outlook for women at Camp Neyati, which she ran for 10 years. It provided an opportunity for women to learn about healthy living choices in a beautiful setting on Crooked Lake.
Polly was a lifelong member of the First United Methodist church in Midland. She was involved in various service organizations; including King’s Daughters, The American Red Cross Blood Bank, and the Lions Club.
Predeceased by her husband of 49 years, John Hoy; husband, Jack Colton; and daughter and son-in-law, Jacqueline Hoy and Randy Barnes. Polly is survived by her children, Michael (Tina) Hoy of Midland; Barbara (Mark) Reynolds of Antrim, NH; Kathleen (Peter) Bullard of Saranac Lake, NY; sisters Carol Worley of Lake Mary, Fl and Sharon (Phi) Kalina of Midland; brother Al Farr of Toledo, OH; grandchildren, Jessica (Mark) Bellomo; Alyssa (Tim) Murray; Rachel Bullard; Michael Bullard; Thomas Reynolds; Mitchell Reynolds; great grandchildren, Samuel and Clare Murray; and many nieces and nephews.
A special thanks to the caring staff at Independence Village, and loving caregivers, Becky Pequignot; Pat Pressnell; Helen Gram; and Luanne Burlingame.
