Elizabeth Polk

Elizabeth (Booth) Polk, 84, wife of William A. Polk of Newtown, died July 7 at Mediplex of Southbury. Mrs Polk was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, on April 17, 1917, a daughter of John and Hilda (Hutchinson) Gordon.

She emigrated to America with her mother and her cousin, John W. Ramsay, in June of 1920. Growing up in Connecticut, she met William A. Polk, who was an officer with the Fairfield police. They were married on October 10, 1940, and made their home in Fairfield and subsequently Southport. They moved to Newtown in 1997.

In 1956, Mrs Polk was diagnosed with cancer and given only 18 months to live. She was a survivor, however; after having successive surgeries and treatments, she lived for another 46 years. She was able to see her children through high school, college, and onto careers. Throughout those years, she was the anchor of family activities.

A lifelong Scot, Mrs Polk encouraged her daughter Jeanne to participate and excel at Scottish dancing. Likewise, she encouraged her son Bill to play the Highland Bagpipes. For many years, she traveled with the family to Scottish Game competitions throughout the eastern United States and the Maritime Provinces. Her one return visit to Scotland occurred in 1974, while visiting the United Kingdom for the occasion of son Bill’s wedding. It was on this trip that she visited Edinburg Castle and was able to see her father’s name, John Gordon, whom she had never known, recorded in the Book of Honor of the Gordon Highlanders, where he had served and died in the first World War.

In addition to her husband, Mrs Polk is survived by a daughter, Jeanne Young of Newtown; a son, William G. Polk of Lenox, Mass.; and two grandchildren, Matthew G. Polk of Lenox, Mass., and Carolyn H. Polk of Providence, R.I.

Funeral services will be held at the convenience of the family.

Arrangements are by the Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street.

The Newtown Bee         July 12, 2002