Mary Elise Vigil

Mary Elise Polk Vigil passed away at her home in Decatur, GA on December 8, 2024. Mary Elise was born on August 24, 1956 in Union City, Tennessee to James Walter and Hazel Killingsworth Polk. She grew up with her brother, James Walter Polk, Jr., and sisters, Martha Sue and Laura Dell in Union City, Tennessee where their father practiced as both a board certified general surgeon and general physician.

As a child, Mary Elise was known to be lively and adventurous with a history of scars and healed bones to show for it. Mary Elise excelled as a student and was especially strong in math and science. Golf was her adolescent passion, and she had boxes of trophies to show for that.

Mary Elise met her eventual husband, Jose Vincent Vigil, at Lakeshore United Methodist Youth Camp at the age of 16. They began dating the next year and were married three years later on August 13, 1977.

Mary Elise was recruited to the inaugural class of the baccalaureate nursing program at the University of Tennessee, Martin, where she went on to win nearly all of their academic awards. Thereafter, she worked with neonates as a registered nurse at Egleston Children's Hospital in Atlanta, GA in various roles before becoming a research nurse with Emory University School of Medicine and Georgia Institute of Technology. Her main area of interest was understanding risk factors for intracranial bleeding and subsequent brain damage in premature infants.

After years of service dedicated to the wellbeing of infants, she chose to focus on her family, becoming a homemaker and a steadfast volunteer in her community. Mary Elise was an active member of both Briarcliff United Methodist Church and later Embry Hills United Methodist Church. Her dedication to service through her church family led her to hold numerous leadership positions, but her heart was most in her work as a Lay Minister of Visitation. In that role, she visited people in the hospital and provided a listening and interpreting ear, especially to those in the midst of a health crisis and those with complex medical situations. Known for her kind and gentle soul, Mary Elise used her nursing skills to assist friends, family, and church members through their healthcare experiences. She understood the power of being present with people through their suffering – advocating for them, explaining medical terminology, and helping them feel seen and loved through challenging times.

In recent years, Mary Elise derived great joy from her relationships with her adult children, extended family, and grandchildren. She especially enjoyed spending time with family at her beach condo in St. Augustine, Florida, where she fished, dined well and watched the waves.

Mary Elise was predeceased by her parents, James Walter Polk and Hazel Killingsworth Polk. She is survived by her husband, Jose Vincent Vigil, her children, Lauren Anne Vigil Orenstein and David Walter Vigil, her son-in-law, Evan William Orenstein, her grandchildren, Zachary Vincent Orenstein and Rachel Elise Orenstein, her siblings and their spouses Martha Sue Mcrae (Jim Mcrae), Jim Polk (Karlene Polk) and Laura Dell Kirk as well as many nieces and nephews.

Mary Elise's legacy of kindness, dedication, and service will continue to live on in the hearts of those she touched. A memorial service will be held at Embry Hills United Methodist Church (UMC) on Saturday, December 14 at 11:00am.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Snax Sax. Snax Sax is a service provided by Embry Hills UMC that feeds children in the local community with healthy meals for the weekend when their nutrition needs might be compromised. Donations can be made online at https://www.embryhillsumc.org/give (specify “Snax Sax” in the “Fund” field) or sent to Embry Hills UMC at 3304 Henderson Mill Road, Atlanta, GA 30341.