Charles N. Pollack

Dr. Charles Norman “Chuck” Pollack, 80, of Carmel, IN, passed away peacefully on September 30, 2021 after complications from a stroke. His summer was spent surrounded by well-wishing family and friends.

Chuck was born October 15, 1940 in East Chicago, IN, graduated from Roosevelt High School and attended Southern Illinois University on a baseball scholarship. He sub-matriculated into University of Colorado School of Medicine and finished his surgery internship at Indiana University School of Medicine in 1966. He completed his residency in cardiovascular and thoracic surgery at Indiana University Medical Center in 1972, then served as a Major in the United States Army in Fort Campbell, Kentucky (1972-1974). After time spent as a surgeon in Auckland, New Zealand and then Denver, Colorado, he returned to Indianapolis and was the founding partner at Cardiac & Vascular Surgery Associates and practiced at Community Hospital and then St. Francis Hospital in Indianapolis (1976-1996).

He was an avid outdoorsman, advocate for adventure and often said travel was the best education. He loved skiing, especially in Snowbird, Utah with his family over the holidays. His wanderlust took him trekking in Nepal and on many rafting, hiking and sea kayaking trips. After retiring from surgery, Chuck enjoyed time as a ski instructor in Taos, New Mexico and as a volunteer park ranger at Glacier National Park in Montana.

Chuck will be remembered as an energetic and generous father who was inclusive by nature and welcomed many family members and friends along on adventures. He enjoyed attending IU basketball games, feeding the hummingbirds and listening to his favorite musician, Bob Seger. He wouldn’t hesitate to travel long distances to enjoy a favorite restaurant or view a celestial event from the best vantage point. Chuck respected wildlife and Mother Earth, and enjoyed photographing nature, aiming to capture the majestic beauty he often surrounded himself with.

He is preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Martha (Ficko) Pollack, who acted as his devoted caregiver for six years before she passed away in June, and his beloved parents John and Anne (Reschan) Pollack.

Chuck is survived by his four children, Keith Pollack of Carmel, IN, Kurt Pollack of Minneapolis, MN, Jilka Pollack of Portola Valley, CA, and Jennifer Pollack Bianco of Seattle, WA, his daughters-in-law Elsa Sterling Pollack and Dr. Marybeth Colbert, son-in-law Jeff Bianco and future son-in-law Grant Yonehiro. He treasured time spent with grandsons Seth, Cal and Reese Colbert-Pollack, his step-granddaughter Alejandrina (Aguirre) Hage, his brother, Dr. Dennis Pollack of Spokane, Washington, and his cousins, nieces and nephews who also survive him.

Chuck was laid to rest at a private service on Monday, November 1, 2021 at Our Lady of Peace Cemetery in Indianapolis.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Audubon Society at https://www.audubon.org or the National Park Foundation at https://www.nationalparks.org in his memory.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.leppertmortuarynora.com for the Pollack family.