Obituary of Beulah (Chappell) Pollard

Beulah (Chappell) Pollard, born January 18, 1933 to Paul R. and Elsie H. Chappell of Cayuga, passed away on St. Patrick's Day, 2023. She grew up on the Chappell dairy farm, where her bedrock values of hard work and strong family connections were formed. Beulah was a graduate of Union Springs Central School (Class of '49) and Keuka College School of Nursing (Class of '53). She worked as a Nurse for many years at Geneva General Hospital and Crest Manor Nursing Home in Fairport, NY, where her gift for compassionate care for the elderly was a blessing to many. Beulah loved her family deeply and was happiest when the extended clan got together at her and Ken's home on Cayuga Lake, where she cherished the support and companionship of the world's best neighbors. Throughout her life, Beulah was defined by community service, as an active volunteer in many local organizations. She was the longest-serving member of the Board of Managers of the Faatz-Crofut Home for the Elderly in Auburn, and was also active in Springport Senior Citizens and the Cayuga County Council for the Aging. As a member of Half Acre Union Church, she served on the Mission and Memorial Committees, and her loving work with Hospice of the Finger Lakes and Matthew House enriched her life and those of many others. A loyal member of the local "I Can Cope" cancer survivors' group, Beulah received the American Cancer Society's "Courage" Award in 2007. Beulah's kind and welcoming spirit will be sorely missed by her survivors: her husband of 67 years, Kenneth E. Pollard; daughters: Susan Jones (Paul) and Laura Gorjance; son, Robert Pollard (Janet Tinoco); grandchildren: Matthew (Breanne Bookhout) and Ellen Frackelton (William Hodges), Sophie, Genevieve and Nathan Gorjance (Ella Hoberman), and Jesse (Meghan Asbury) and Monica Pollard; great-grandsons: Johnny and James Hodges; brother-in-law, Lincoln Peirce; nine nieces and nephews; and countless devoted friends and neighbors. She especially appreciated her local niece and nephews, Carolyn Becker and Peter, Paul (Debbie), and Brian Chappell (Mary Bulkot), for their consistent help and support over the years. Beulah's faith assured that her she would be welcomed home by beloved family members who predeceased her: her parents; siblings: Brenda Peirce and Bruce and Martin Chappell; sisters-in-law: Mary Chappell and Joann Chappell; and nephew-in-law Karl Becker. Beulah chose to make a final gift to others by donating her body to medical research. Visitation with the family will be at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, March 24, 2023 at Half Acre Union Church, with a memorial service following at 2:00 p.m. and light refreshments afterwards. In lieu of flowers, friends are invited to consider making a donation to Matthew House, Auburn or Hospice of the Finger Lakes.