Polley Sue Bowen

Polley Sue Bowen passed away on Sunday, October 29th after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was 86. She lived at Skyline Adult Care in West Linn, Oregon for the final two years of her life, where her husband and family kept a near daily visitation schedule. Polley was born to Vickery and Anna Dougherty on Valentine’s Day, 1937, in Yuba City, California. However, most of her youth was spent in Southern California, graduating from Covina High School in 1955. She came to Oregon that fall to attend Willamette University. She completed two years there before marrying Robert Withers of Woodburn, Oregon in 1957. The Air Force took Bob and Polley to Morocco for two years before returning to Oregon and settling in Woodburn. The couple had three boys before divorcing in 1968. Polley and the boys moved to Keizer, Oregon where she remarried and went to work in an entry level position as a payroll clerk for VIPs restaurants. She later took a job at United Savings Bank (“Cecil H. Johnson, President”) in the accounting department, ultimately becoming its controller. While living in Keizer she became active at Pentacle Theatre, a Salem based community theater. This association would shape the rest of her life. In 1975, she divorced a second time and then met and married the true love of her life, Ed Bowen, with whom she remained for the next forty-nine years. Throughout those years Polley and Ed truly built a life together: one centered around the theater. Ed took a number of positions at High Schools, Colleges and Universities as the head of the drama department, and everywhere Ed went Polley was at his side. But before they could do that, there were some educational requirements to be taken care of. Ed went to work on a doctorate in theater which took the two to Scotland for a year. Upon their return to Salem, they lived in a very small, converted goat shed in the backyard of their best friend’s house. They lived, rent free, for two years in the cramped quarters. During that time, Polley went back to school to finish her undergraduate degree so that both of them would be able to teach wherever they went. And “went” they certainly did! After the year in Scotland, and a couple more in Salem, they moved to Viterbo College in Lacrosse, Wisconsin for two years. Then it was off to LaGrange, Georgia for five years. At each stop, Ed was the head of the drama department and Polley taught speech and various other drama classes. Only the birth of the first of their seven grandchildren brought them home to the University of Portland where they would stay through the end of their careers: 21 years later. During these last two decades Polley was very active in the Portland drama scene working for Artist Repertory Theatre, Portland Center Stage and Portland Opera as a costume designer and builder. She also costumed for a number of area high schools, most notably Central Catholic. Polley was many things to many people. Polley was a mom. Having grown up with no brothers, Polley had quite a challenge on her hands when her kids turned out to be three boys. As you can imagine chaos generally reigned. Whatever may have been her plans with her boys, one or more of them would invariably blow them up. Polley was either born with, or quickly developed, the ability to roll with the punches and not get rattled no matter the challenge she faced. Polley was a movie star. A natural, classic beauty, Polley was met with stops and stares whenever she entered a room. She loved fashion, looking her best – and smoking, looking very glamorous while doing so. Polley’s oldest son, Trent, remembers every one of his childhood friends thinking that she was “the coolest” and loving to watch her sunbathe around the community pool. She was also very “groovy”, often laughing and commenting, “Oh marvy”. Polley was a good friend. Her physical beauty complemented by her loving spirit. She listened without judgment whenever her loved ones shared the highs and lows of their lives. Polley would let you fail but stay close to pick you up, never seeking to control those around her and instead offering support and patience. Polley loved people as much as they loved her and never seemed to tire of working or socializing. Happily, her career in theatre allowed for both: stitching and talking may have been nirvana for her. Polley was an artist. Polley’s passion for the arts started as a child but began to mature at Pentacle Theatre in Salem, Oregon, where she became an active costumer and performer. Some of her most memorable roles were in Cabaret, Hotel Baltimore, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Once Upon a Mattress, and Camelot. Polley was also a director of The Women, but perhaps found more joy in other roles as this was her only production as director. In all these roles, Polley demonstrated not just her artistic talent but also her legendary work ethic. In the lead up to play openings, Polley could be found in a storm of fabric, needles, and thread, often working until 2AM or 3AM knowing she’d have only a few hours to go to her “real job”. Her son, Todd, credits her as a role model for tenacity, trying to emulate her energy throughout his own life and career. Finally, a discussion about Polley in the arts would not be complete without mentioning her famously intricate and mountainous cigarette butt “sculptures”, forged in the overflowing ashtray of her blue Volkswagen Beetle. In this medium, Polley was a true master. Polley’s artistry also showed in her skill as a cook. Her loved ones recall some of her iconic dishes: tacos (a recipe that her Mexican daughter-in-law uses to this day), short ribs, “messy” chicken, spaghetti, clam chowder with grilled cheese sandwiches (amazing on a cold day), chicken and dumplings, pancakes (almost every morning when her boys were young), Corn dodgers (cornbread pancakes), breaded smelt, pumpkin pie, Chantilly Cream, and the berry pie she made for Todd’s pie eating contest. It’s unclear whether Polley enjoyed eating her creative dishes herself, as she often chose “pickled pigs feet”, peppers and Triscuits – but she certainly enjoyed showing her love for others through food. Polley was Grandma Jeep. Not every kid looks forward to going over to their grandma’s house, but Polley’s grandkids did. That’s because Grandma Polley (or Grandma Jeep) showed her love through experiences. Polley’s granddaughter, Alex, recalls her grandmother’s uncanny ability to both “treat us like the kids we were, while also talking to us like the ‘grown-ups’ we wanted to be.” Polley would play 20 games of Rat-a-tat Cat with her granddaughters and treat them to shopping sprees at the mall, while also recounting to them her travels, teaching them words in French, and taking them to Shakespeare plays in Ashland, Oregon. Grandma Jeep was also famous for hosting movie nights at her house in Portland, where the highlight wasn’t so much the movie as much as the snacks: popcorn, black olives, cucumbers, apple slices, Uncle Dan’s and Dr. Pepper while showing Fantasia on her little TV for the 100th time. Grandma Polley had the exact type of house that was magical for a little kid to explore. With your eyes closed it is so easy to transport yourself into her living room - filled with beautiful artwork, colorful paint on the textured walls, interesting sculptures and treasures from travels, and most notably, 8 or 9 cats. And she’d let the kids roam around and explore the nooks and crannies of the basement of their house, stuffed with all kinds of treasures from her and travels and work – treasures that she often let them keep. Polley lived an amazing life; a full life; and, she will be greatly missed, but the memory of her life and how she lived it will inspire her family and friends to the end of their days. Polley is survived by her husband, Ed; her sister, Louann Gallagher of Grass Valley CA; her three sons, Trent Withers, Terry Withers and Todd Withers; and seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. A time for a celebration of Polley’s life will be determined at a later date.

Polley Sue Bowen

February 14, 1937 - October 29, 2023