Armas Jacob Pollari

Armas Jacob "Jack" Pollari, 89, of Vancouver, WA, passed away Tuesday morning, Dec. 21, 2010 at the Ray Hickey Hospice House (thank you all for taking care of him). Jack was born on April 2, 1921, the son of Finnish immigrants Jacob and Helen Pollari (Peltokangas). Growing up on Finn Hill, Jack enjoyed a simple life with his mother and younger brother Ted, attending the old one-room Salmon Falls grade school and then Hockinson's "new" two room school. Early in life, Jack learned about and loved America's favorite pastime - baseball. He could hardly believe that God had allowed man to have devised such a wonderful thing. Jack's early dreams were of becoming a big-league player. Like in a Bruce Springsteen song, "he could throw that speedball by you." He could also hit the long ball. Ole timers in Hockinson would tell stories of his homers landing over close to Gerta Mattson's caf. He eventually played some semi-pro ball in the Vancouver-Portland area, and on recent trips through the area would point out the ball fields where he played. During his teen years, he said he was also privileged to be part of the Civilian Conservation Corp. His 3C camp was above Carson, WA. This was the main source of income for his family during those years, as his father had died when he was only six. After the 3C's, Jack worked in the shipyards of Portland, but then came WW II. As a proud member of the Timberwolves, Jack served honorably as an artilleryman in the European Theater, driving his half-track across Germany to Leipzig. After the war, Jack enjoyed some more baseball, married Betty Jo Compton and raised four sons on their Finn Hill farm until 1965 when they moved to Tumwater. During his life, Jack also worked in the logging industry, as a custodian at the Hockinson grade school, and in a plywood mill in Olympia; but mostly as a hod-carrier in and around Vancouver, which he retired from in 1983. Jack will be remembered by family and friends as a caring, generous man who trusted Jesus as his Savior, wanted his family to trust in Him, and is happy to have finally completed his sojourn here and be with Him in Heaven. The boys, James, Roger, Raymond and Joseph, and their wives, survive their father along with seven grandchildren and six great- grandchildren; sister-in-law, Rachel; a niece and two nephews. Jack was preceded in death by Betty; his second wife, Ruth "Trudi"; and his brother, Ted.

Armas Jacob Pollari

April 2, 1921 - December 21, 2010