Gladiola Montez Self Polivka was born on a farm in northern Alabama in 1921 and died in Tallahassee, Fl., on Saturday, May 16, 2009.
The lovely Glad met her soon-to-be husband, Camille Joseph Polivka, a handsome second lieutenant from Chicago, Il., in Birmingham, Al. in 1943. Two weeks after their first encounter, they were married, and they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary in October 2008.
Gladiola and Cam's long and loving marriage produced three children, Larry Polivka, LuMarie Polivka-West and Dwight Polivka. Glad and Cam raised their children in Chattanooga and she enjoyed her career as a nurse at Erlanger Hospital for 25 years. She also volunteered in the prison ministries teaching women how to sew.
Glad and Cam were active and dedicated members of the Church of God throughout their lives together.
Gladiola and Cam moved to Tallahassee to help raise their granddaughters, Laurie West Belletto and Camille West, in 1985. Glad worked in the geriatric clinic at the Apalachee Mental Health Clinic and the Senior Center until she was 75 years old and volunteered with the Alzheimer Resource Center until she turned 80.
Glad and Cam led the Sunday morning church service at a local nursing home for ten years with two nominations as Volunteers of the Year in Tallahassee.
Glad's memorable life lives within her lifelong companion, Cam Polivka; her sons, Dr. Larry Polivka and Dwight Polivka, ARNP (wife, Toni Wilkins); daughter, LuMarie Polivka-West (husband, Bob West); and grandchildren, Laurie West Belletto (husband, Nicholas Belletto); Camille West, Erin Polivka, Jake Wilkins, John Bond and the late Heather Polivka; and great-granddaughter, Grace Belletto; dearest sister, Ann Gentry and lovely nieces and nephews and many friends, especially Nell Hodge.
Although Glad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2002, she remained a loving and caring wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother until her death on May 16, 2009.
She is greatly missed by her family and friends and remembered lovingly as a compassionate woman with deep Christian values and strong convictions that inspired us all.
Condolences may be sent to www.lane-southcrestchapel.com.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in honor of Glad Polivka to Big Bend Hospice, 1723 Mahan Center Blvd., Tallahassee, Fl. 32308, hospice@bigbendhospice.org.
Graveside services will be held on Tuesday, at Tennessee-Georgia Memorial Park, 724 Hogan Road, Rossville, Ga., 30741 at 11 a.m.
The family of Mrs. Polivka invites relatives and friends for a time of gathering on Tuesday from 10-10:30 a.m. at the South Crest Chapel of Lane Funeral Home and Crematory, Rossville.