Obituary: Polly Spofford (May 15, 1925 – October 9, 2008)

Pauline (Polly) Fawcett Spofford died peacefully on October 9, 2008, under the care of Hopewell House hospice in Portland. She was a teacher, a mother of five boys, and for 64 years, wife and partner of the former Episcopal Bishop of Eastern Oregon and Assistant Bishop of Washington (DC).

Polly was born May 15, 1925, in Plainfield, NJ, the oldest child of Arthur (“Spig”) Fawcett and Mary Phelps Fawcett. She graduated from St. Mary’s Hall, Burlington, N.J., and attended Mt. Holyoke College for three years before leaving in 1944 to marry her long-time sweetheart, William (Bill) Spofford, Jr., an Episcopal seminarian who went on to become a parish minister, hospital chaplain and social worker, and later Episcopal bishop. By age 25 Polly had delivered 5 sons, including a set of triplets. What followed was a 60-year journey criss-crossing the country, effectively balancing a life in which she partnered with her husband in training clergy in town and country ministry, parenting her five children, and playing an active role in the League of Women Voters, which remained a passion until she died.

Polly’s true love, however, was teaching. After finishing her Bachelor’s degree, she completed two Masters Degrees in secondary and special education. She taught history and political science at Boise High School and at Boise’s Capital High School, where she was selected Teacher of the Year by the student body. Later in life she was praised by several of her students as being the prime motivating force for their pursuit of careers in politics and government. After moving to Washington DC when Bill became Assistant Bishop there, she earned a Masters Degree in Special Education at American University and tutored inmates at correctional facilities.

From the time they first established roots in Idaho in the early 1950’s, Polly and Bill were passionate Northwesterners, despite a couple of temporary vocational relocations to the East Coast. They always maintained a cabin in the mountains, first in Lowman, Idaho, later in Camp Sherman, Oregon. She relished her time in the outdoors, hiking and backpacking the wilderness of Idaho, Oregon and Washington, as well as downhill and cross-country skiing. She and Bill traveled widely, including to Russia, Great Britain, Latin America, Italy and New Zealand, and spent the entire year of their 50^th anniversary based in east Jerusalem. For the last fifteen years of her life, Polly resided in Portland with her devoted husband, most recently at Terwilliger Plaza. Two years ago she was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia, a disease that robbed her of her physical vitality but not her intelligence, her political commitment, or her sharp sense of humor.

Polly Spofford is survived by her husband and her five boys, Tim, Mark (wife, Cathy), and Daniel (Yuko), all of Portland, Andrew (Daantje), of Missoula, and Stephen, of Seattle, and by her sister, Temple Fawcett of Providence, Rhode Island; her brother Arthur “Chip” Fawcett of Washington DC; sister-in-law Susanne Spofford Restor of Vero Beach, Florida; 8 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.

A celebration of Polly’s life will be held at Grace Memorial Episcopal Church, Portland, at 11:00 AM on All Saints Day, November 1, 2008.