Polly Bruch White

There was only one Polly White! Her tenacious love of life kept her young and alive until her almost 95th Birthday, January 18th. She died peacefully at home surrounded by her family and loving caregivers on December 27th, 2023. 
 
To know her was to love her, which we did to the moon and back. Not surprisingly, Polly was in charge until the very end, still running the entire show! She was the daughter of the late Helen Osborne Bruch and Edward Philip Bruch, outliving her 3 siblings, Aileen, Philip, and Thomas. She was predeceased by her husband of 73 incredible years, Richard Peter White. She is survived by her loving daughters, Cynthia White Halle, Margaret Helen White, and Shirley Evelyn White, and adored granddaughters McKinley Bruch Sanders and Portia Osborne Sanders (Will Hyde), who referred to her as Dollie, were Polly’s favorite cheerleaders and companions as she navigated life without Dickie. 
 
Born and raised in Waite Hill Village, Ohio, Polly graduated from Hathaway Brown School in 1946. She went on to the Ogantz School in Abington, PA, graduating with an Associates Bachelors Degree. Carrying on her family's legacy, Polly was honored with the A Beautiful Activist award through her dedicated life of volunteering for the Sunbeam Board of VGS. Having started volunteering at the old Rainbow Hospital for Children in the 1940s during a Polio outbreak, she later went on to serve as a Trustee of Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital and Foundation for more than 50 years. She was also an Emerita member of the Shaker Lakes Garden Club.
 
Polly was a pillar of society and a mentor to many who followed behind her, always delighted to help and show compassion to everyone around her. Beyond all else, Polly was understanding, firm, with a great sense of humor, endlessly polite, and a supportive wife, mother, and grandmother. Always game to have fun and had kind words for everyone, and did she love her hamburgers! Medium rare, no char, and absolutely hold the onions. Never lazy, a forever taskmaster, who worked endlessly with Dick and the girls in the yard, gardening and tending to a variety of animals. At a petite 5’1”, Polly was quite a stylish lady and recipient of Cindy Halle’s career in ladies' clothing with a closet full of fabulous outfits to prove it! 
 
Polly lived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in the winter and was a member of the Lauderdale Yacht Club. She loved bike riding, needlepointing, walking the beach, and spending time with her family. Since 1977, summers were spent in Waite Hill, where she lived in a historic Monte Copper horse stable that was converted into a glorious home. Much to her delight, she loved touring numerous visitors over the years sharing the stable's storied past. Polly was also a member of the Kirtland Country Club which was very much a part of her family's history. A celebration of her life will be held on June 6th, 2024.  
 
In lieu of flowers, the family prefers contributions be made in her name to Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital. UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, PO Box 94554, Cleveland, OH 44101 or www.uhgiving.com.