Dawn L. Pollock

 On Thursday May 16, 2019 our Mother, Grandmother and Great-grandmother, Dawn Locke Pollock, age 89, slipped away peacefully as she slept at Penn Medicine Hospice in West Chester, Pennsylvania following a long illness.

Dawn Audree Locke was born in Gowanda, NY to Clair and Lucina (Cook) Locke and grew up in Cattaraugus, NY with her younger twin siblings, Fern and Vernon.  Dawn was brought up on the love of family, to respect the gift of an education, and she owned that town on her roller skates. Her father’s death when she was 11 years old, growing up through the Great Depression and World War II and the constant presence of a large extended family were the influences that taught those children the meaning of hard work, perseverance and resilience.

After graduation from Cattaraugus High School in 1947, at the age of 17, she began her nursing education at Gowanda State Psychiatric Hospital school of Nursing. It was at that time that she met and fell in love with fellow nursing student, William Howard Pollock.  The two students were married on August 13, 1949 at the Cattaraugus United Methodist Church. Together, they graduated as registered nurses in August of 1950 with their first child, Susan, in tow.  It was at this point that job placement took them to Dannemora, NY.  Bill worked at the Dannemora State Hospital and Dawn at Physicians Hospital in Plattsburgh. In 1957 Dawn and Bill formed a partnership with Bill’s mother Clara, (also a nurse) and father William P. Pollock for the creation of Cedar Hedge Nursing Home in Rouses Point.  Taking care of the ill and aged was a labor of love for Dawn and Bill who both considered it a privilege to give that care and comfort.  After years of trying they finally were able to double the size of their business and expand their ability to serve and employ more north country residents with the opening of a new brick facility at 260 Lake Street. 

Despite the challenges of raising six children and running a nursing home, Dawn enrolled in classes, in 1969, at Plattsburgh State University. She graduated in 1978 with two Bachelor’s Degrees, one in nursing and one in psychology, accomplishments for which she was deservedly very proud. During this time and for years after, Dawn was an active member of the of New York State Nursing Home Association, American College of Health Care Administrators, Business and Professional Women and Three Steeples United Methodist Church. Her hard work and dedication were rewarded by the Northern Tier Chamber of Commerce who honored her with the 2001 Citizen of the Year Award.

Through the years she loved her extended family gatherings, the bigger the better. Whether it was spaghetti Sunday, July 4th, or Grandma and Grandpas Christmas each gathering usually ended with a kid or two passed out on a couch and Dawn playing Scrabble with someone until the last one to leave witnessed her waving goodbye on the porch.

After Bill’s sudden death in January 1998 it became clear that changes were needed, and Dawn started working towards retirement and with that came the closing of Cedar Hedge Nursing Home in 2006.  Dawn retired and gave up the career she had loved for so long.  She moved to South Burlington, Vermont for a short time and then to Malvern, PA where she enjoyed her final 6 years with her daughter and family.

Dawn was predeceased by her husband Bill, her mother and father, her stepfather, John Worth, her brother, Vernon Locke and her in-laws, Clara and William P. Pollock and one son-in-law, Charles Carswell Jr.

She is lovingly survived and missed by her sister Fern Luce of Cattaraugus and her 6 children: Susan E. Pollock of Pittsfield, MA, Wende (Doug) Guerin, of Burlington, VT,  William J. (Debbie) Pollock of Agawam, MA, Thomas (Leslie) Pollock of Clifton Park, Lynne (Mark) Denson of Malvern, PA, James (Trish) Pollock of Fredericksburg, VA, and Rita (Dan) Gertsch.  Also surviving are her 16 grandchildren whom she loved completely: Stephanie Guerin (Larry Jacob), Julian Locke (Nick Zechmann), Ian Guerin (Katie Owens), Charli Guerin (Mike Wilson), William G. (Jennifer) Pollock, Amy (Paul) Pecore, Amanda Pollock (Nick Perillo), Sarah (Tiago) Matos, Carrie Carswell, Charles Carswell, Jennifer Carswell, Jessica (Dan) Whalen, Shannon (Rob) Lehman, Bekka Carswell (Corey Adams), Ryan Pollock and Nathan Pollock and 17 great-grandchildren including a baby boy due in September and twin girls due in November.  Several nieces and nephews also survive.

Through Dawn and Bill, we were all taught caring, loving and looking beyond ourselves and we will be forever grateful for those lessons.  A private service will be held, and Dawn and Bill will be interred together in Cattaraugus, NY at the convenience of family.

Dawn and Bill were long time supporters of Shriner Hospitals for Children and their family requests that memorial donations go to Shriners Hospitals for Children which can be mailed to, 2900 N. Rocky Point Dr. Tampa, Florida, 33607 (Attn: Office of Development) or https://donate.lovetotherescue.org .For Donor Support: donorrelations@shrinenet.org  844-839-098