Sunday, February 21, 2021

COMPOSING/PRODUCTION'S JERRY POLK PASSES AWAY

 


Jerry Polk, who was in Composing and management at the BJ (1965-1973), passed away December 31, 2020 but his obituary wasn’t published till Sunday, February 21 in the BJ.

Gerald Harrison Polk was born in Akron to Lois Colleen Polk and the late Harrison Adam Polk.

He left 44 E. Exchange Street in the 1970s for the Philadelphia Inquirer. He didn’t stay in one place permanently. Next came Long Beach Press Telegram, Denver Post and San Jose, California Mercury News, where he retired as vice president of production. “Retirement” didn’t suit Jerry. So he went to Investor’s Business Daily in Santa Monica, California to be in charge of production.

1965 – Joined Composing as an apprentice printer

1968 – Became a journeyman printer

1972 – Named assistant general foreman in Composing

1973 – Left to become assistant production manager for the Philadelphia Daily News until 1979

1979 – Long Beach Press-Telegram and then Denver Post before returning to Philly

1988 – Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc. vice president production for Daily News and Inquirer

Next – San Jose Mercury News, vice president of production

Another next – Investor’s Business Daily in Santa Monica, California, head of production

Jerry’s obituary:

Jerry Polk
June 28, 1942 - December 31, 2020
Resident of Palm Desert, CA
Gerald Harrison Polk (Jerry) was born in Akron, Ohio on June 28, 1942 to Harrison Adam Polk (deceased) and Lois Colleen Polk (deceased). Jerry died in Palm Desert, CA on December 31, 2020 of complications from mesothelioma.


Jerry is survived by his five children, daughters Gerilee, Dana (Xavier) Urquiza, Angela (Paul) Cleaver, and sons Jared and Ryan; granddaughters Peyton and Olivia; grandsons Dylan, Jackson, Xavier, Ryan, Hunter and Harlow; brother Paul; girlfriend Roxanne Reed; and numerous nieces and nephews. All of whom he loved so very much and could do no wrong in his eyes.


Jerry had a successful career in the newspaper industry. Starting as an apprentice printer at the Akron Beacon Journal, he rose through the management ranks at the Akron Beacon Journal, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Long Beach Press Telegram, the Denver Post, and the San Jose Mercury News where he retired as Vice President of Production. In retirement, Jerry worked for a while for the Investor's Business Daily in Santa Monica in charge of production and with close friend Pete Medina brokering printing equipment.


An avid golfer, Jerry finally moved to the Oasis Country Club in Palm Desert, CA where he was a fixture in the men's club.


"Say not in grief 'he is no more' but in thankfulness that he was."
We will miss you every day, Dad.
No services are planned at this time.


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