Willard Otto Polley

Willard Otto Polley, age 99, of Unionville, passed away Thursday, November 30, 2023 at his residence. He was preceded in death by his wife of 76 years, Roxie I. (Cummings) Polley. Born December 22, 1923, in Unionville, he was the son of Benjamine Hardin Polley and Martha Elizabeth (Fishel) Polley. He graduated from Unionville High School. Willard began his military career in 1943 as an aviation cadet in the Army Air Corps, which became the US Air Force. He was a veteran of WWII, Korea, and Viet Nam. Will retired from the Air Force on June 30, 1970 as a Lt. Colonel after a total of 27 years in military service. While in the service, he earned a master’s degree from the University of Southern California. During his career, he and his family lived all over the US, as well as Morocco. After retirement he moved back home to Bloomington, where he built a home on the same property where he was born. Willard and his wife, Roxie, loved to travel and they drove across the US many times, visiting friends and relatives, even driving to Prudhoe Bay in Alaska. He enjoyed farming, growing corn, milo, fruit trees, and always had a large vegetable garden. He later went on to serve as the superintendent of transportation for the Monroe County School Corporation, and then worked at the Bloomington water treatment plant. He was a member of the Sherwood Oaks Christian Church, a member of The Military Officers Association of America, the Retired Military Officers Association and the US Air Force EOD MasterBlasters. He is survived by his three children, Mary (Stephen) Dombek, of Santa Barbara, California, Willard Otto (Janis) Polley, Jr., of Ellettsville, and Brenda (Darrell) Ooley, of Unionville; three grandchildren, Matthew Polley, Andrew Polley and Michael Polley, one step-grandchild, Tiffany (Jeffrey) Sanford and two step-great-grandchildren, Jedrek and Taylor Sanford. In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by his sisters Nancy Cook (Herb), and Laura Walls (John). Funeral services to celebrate his life will be held at 10:30 am, Wednesday, December 6, 2023, at Day & Deremiah-Frye Funeral Home, officiated by Pastor Tom Ellsworth. Interment will follow at Shiloh Cemetery with full military honors. Friends and family are invited to the visitation on Tuesday, December 5, 2023, from 3:00 to 7:00 pm at Day & Deremiah-Frye Funeral Home. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.DayDeremiahFrye.com for the Polley family.