Obituary of Lee Polchak

Lee Polchak, age 99, died in her home of 91 years last Saturday, July 29, 2017. Her family moved to Freehold when she was a small girl, and she graduated from Freehold High School around 1936. Lee worked in the family business, Atlantic Frocks, sewing elegant ladies' coats and dresses, along with her sister, Sophie. We will miss Lee's incredible zest for life. She always wanted to be doing - no sitting around for her! She was a sparkling conversationalist who loved to listen to people's stories. She had a sharp mind and a sly wit. She was as engaging at 99 years as she must have been at 25 years, and a beloved favorite of the younger generations. For decades, Lee was a central part of a group of school chums known only as "The Club." These great friends would get together regularly for tennis, horseback riding, and bowling. In later years, they enjoyed playing bridge and sharing homemade desserts. Lee had a lifelong love of dancing. She fondly remembered wearing beautiful gowns and joining the other girls taking the bus to Fort Monmouth for the military dances. Lee learned how to bake on her family's coal stove. Her cakes were always eagerly anticipated and totally delectable. The highlight of the year, however, was her homemade cheese blintzes. Aunt Lee was passionately interested in the young members of the family. Romance, schooling, careers - all received her lovingly inquisitive gaze. She was keenly eager for her great nephews and great nieces to advance in their careers, and was always ready with suggestions and advice. She was a lady of strong opinions! Lee was enthusiastically generous in her gift giving, desiring nothing more than the advancement of her family. "Aunt" Lee was predeceased by her parents, Mary and Fred Polchak, and her sisters, Sophie Polchak and Helen Worthington. She will be deeply missed by her niece, Kimberly, and her nephews, Christopher and Jonathan, and her many grand and great-grand nieces and nephews, Caitlyn and Jonathan, Adreana, Constance, Adam, Nyssa, Thaddeus, Sophia, Tirzah, Kaylee, Ayden, Oliver, Zera, and Shoshana. “Aunt Lee, you were one-of-a-kind!" The viewing will be held at the Higgins Memorial Home, 20 Center Street, Freehold on Thursday from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated at St. Rose of Lima Church, Freehold on Friday at 10:00 a.m. followed by interment at St. Rose of Lima Cemetery.