Polly Richards
Polly Richards passed away on Tuesday, January 31, 2017 at her home in Bettendorf. Her body has been deeded to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church. Weerts Funeral Home, Davenport, is assisting her family with arrangements.
Born in 1926 in Tuckerman, Arkansas to John Edgar and Sylla Idella Parrott, Polly attended Ouachita Baptist College in Arkadelphia, Arkansas for two years; then graduated with her BS degree in Home Economics from Iowa State University where she was a member of Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority. She married J. Kenneth Stringer Jr. in 1947, and Jack W. Richards in 1988.
In 1979, while President of Holiday Fiesta Travel Agency, Brownsville, TX, Polly attended five schools for travel agents in both the US and abroad. Upon returning to Iowa she was employed for two years at Blackhawk World Travel, Moline, IL; before procuring her real estate license in 1984. She was associated for 15 years with Mel Foster Co., where she became Top Sales Person, Million Dollar Producer, and Senior Broker; retiring in 1996.
Polly was a Republican Committeewoman for 15 years and past member of the Junior League of Visiting Nurses of the Quad Cities; P.E.O. Chapter FJ; Davenport Country Club; and Crow Valley Golf Club. She enjoyed golf and bridge, having attained the rank of ACBL Silver Life Master.
Survivors include daughters Dr. Judee K. Burgoon (husband Jon Henderson) of Tucson AZ, Della D. Stringer-Lester of Bettendorf, IA, and Marilyn J. Stringer of Tucson, AZ; sons J. Kenneth Stringer III (wife Susan) of Portland OR, and J. Warren Stringer of San Francisco, CA; grandchildren Erin Baker (wife Meryl), Matthew Stringer (wife Lorien) and Staci Stringer; sisters-in-law Patricia Schaefer of New York NY, and Joan Miller of Davenport, IA. In addition to her husbands, she was preceded in death by brother Dr. John H. Parrott in 2002; and sister-in-laws Elizabeth Parrott in 2017, and Marilyn Heysinger in 1991.
Memorial services for Mary Elene “Polly” Richards, 91, Bettendorf, will be held at 10:30 am Sat., Feb. 18, 2017 at First Baptist Church, 1401 Perry St., Davenport, where her family will greet friends from 10:00 am until the time of the service. A time of sharing remembrances will follow with a luncheon in the Fellowship Hall.