Jerald Keith Pollock passed from this life to his next big adventure on Wednesday, April 10th, 2024. Dad was born the only child of parents, Joe and Juanita Wilson Pollock, on July 8th , 1940. He married Loretta (Rita) Ann Holly on December 28th, 1960. Mom passed and has been waiting for him to show up since November 6th, 2016.
Dad grew up in Miller Creek with family and friends on the farm. He was a tried-and-true farm boy. We loved to hear the stories of growing up on the farm. From riding his new bike from Western Auto back to the farm in Miller Creek. To his tales of terrorizing the neighbors on horseback.
In his 20’s, he went to Colorado for a job with a seismograph crew. Working his first off the farm job for Amerada Petroleum Corporation. He met Mom in Cortez, Colorado and brought her and her two little girls’ home to make a family. They added one more girl to the mix, and the rest is history! Dad was a land surveyor for many years, first with the Utah Department of Transportation. He was among the surveyors that mapped out a portion of I-70/U.S. 50 west in Emery County, Utah through Spotted Wolf Canyon to Green River, Utah. He shot sites to carve out the first 8 miles through the canyon requiring excavating 3,500,000 cubic yards of rock. He was proud to drive through the solid rock cuts and exclaim he had a part in each of those slices.
Dad then surveyed for America Coal Company, a coal mine in Emery County, Utah. The company was sold multiple times over the years he was there. He retired from “The Power Company” as he labeled Rocky Mountain Power; working to map the progress of underground coal mining. Dad took early retirement in 1995. He was retired all of 2 weeks before he was working again. He took a job with the Canal Company as the “Ditch Rider”. It was a job that his dad Joe also held. He found a cement base poured to hold a head gate and there in the old hardened mud was JP (Joe Pollock) and AB (Archie Bradley) 1943.
In between all the workdays, he hauled girls to 4-H, Jr. riding club, Little Buck-a-roo rodeos, high school rodeo, college rodeos, EURA, RMRA, WPRA & PRCA rodeos. . . not to mention all the hours in the practice arena. You would have thought he would have gotten tired of it all. In all the years hauling us around, he never once said no, I am not going. He and Mom loved to travel the West chasing the racehorses; they watched their foals grow up and learn to run. They had a few winners here and there. The colts that didn’t have the winning instinct became local barrel racing horses and team roping horses, with a few calf ropers mixed in.
He was equally proud of his 3 daughters & sons-in-law, and the grands and great grands. He was so happy to see pictures posted on social media of the grandkids playing sports. He wished he could have traveled to see all the games in person.
Dad fought a courageous battle with a nefarious criminal called Cancer. It took a part of him, not only physically from his jaw, but something was different about him after he kicked it. He became melancholy and would stroll down memory lane with anyone willing to take the time to listen. We may have heard the good ole stories a couple hundred times, but we all wish we could hear them one more time. He left us with wonderful, cherished memories. We will miss Dad forever.
Dad is survived by his oldest daughter, Trona Lee; middle daughter, Randa Hickman (Ed); and the youngest spoiled brat, Jeri Houston (John); grandsons, Brandon Denny (Katie), KC Johansen, Daniel Hickman, (Meghan), Bobby Houston (Angela) and, one good farm hand we considered a grandson, Shad Cook; granddaughters, Chariety Riggs (Greg), Tomi Bear, Charly Roby (Eli), and Carla Saccomano (Brian).
Also survived by his great-grandsons: Derick Roby, Trea Denny, Mason & JJ Bear. Dawson Denny, Carson Saccomano, Zachary Hickman, and Brett Aponte and one great-great grandson, Rory Cox; along with the great-grandgirls: Mekia Cox (Ben), Bailey Saccomano, Brylee Roby, Destiny Denny, Jada Denny, McKenna Denny, Sarah Hickman, and he was fondly known as Grandpa Grape to Blake & Hayden Houston.
Dad was preceded in death by his parents, Joe & Juanita; wife, Rita; and a host of great friends. And all the little dogs that sat on his lap and shared the popcorn: Hombre, Chico, Sassy, & Elvis; and finally the best barn kitty and good mouser, Red Dot.
Dad requested to be “planted” next to Mom in the Cliffview Cemetery. Graveside services will be Tuesday, April 16th, 2024, 11:00 a.m., at the Cliffview Cemetery in Price Utah.
In lieu of flowers, please take the time to stop and pick up the phone and dial your grandpa, he spends his days waiting to hear from you all. Or better yet, get in the car and drive over for a nice long visit. This may apply to any single family member, friend or cranky ole neighbor; just be there for someone who really craves your undivided /full/complete attention.
Ride on, “This Old Cowboy’s Our Dad!!”