Vern Pollock

Name: Vern Pollock
Hometown at death: Grants Pass, Oregon
Personal History:

Vern was born in Grants Pass and loved it here. His family came to the Rogue River Valley in the 1800’s and homesteaded in the Jump-off-Joe Creek area. He graduated from Grants Pass High School in 1944 and joined the Merchant Marines that same year. He married Jean May King in 1946. They had two daughters. In 1947 he started working in a partnership with his parents in the Farmer’s Market located “just a whisper south of the Caveman Bridge”. It was there that he began selling boats and outboard motors. In 1961 they officially opened “Pollock’s Marina” in its own building. The business grew rapidly and they expanded by adding on to the original building a total of 5 times. The Marina was a very successful venture and Vern received numerous marked achievements over the years which included having the top sales for most Vespa cars and scooters in 12 western states, a trip to Italy for his parents where they saw most of that country, and being recognized for selling the 2nd largest volume of Honda motorcycles in Oregon, Northern California and Washington. Additionally, Jean and Vern won a trip to Japan hosted by Honda. Pollock’s Marina ended up being the 2nd largest Evenrude and Honda dealer in Oregon. One year they were honored by Tollycraft as being the largest “New Dealer in the World”. The company was later sold. In 1988 he married Esther M. (Adams) Avellar and they enjoyed the remainder of his years together. Vern had a passion and flare for business and investment ventures, loved to travel to the Desert and Oregon Coast, visit family, and kept a home base in Grants Pass. He believed in physical fitness and was a past member of the YMCA, G Street Health Club and Club Northwest. Vern loved feeding wild birds, gardening, and playing with his dog “Sammy”. He left this world with his loving and devoted wife by his side.
He is survived by his wife, Esther of Grants Pass; his daughters, Katherine Irwin and Charlene Rook (John), both of Roseburg, OR; a step-daughter, Joy Bentley of Grants Pass; 6 Grandchildren; 7 Step-Grandchildren; 9 Great Grandchildren; 1 Great Great Grandchild. He was preceded in death by his parents, William G. and Daisy Pollock; a brother, Neil Pollock; and a sister, Virginia M. Hays.