Jill Pollack

Born in Vancouver on January 5, 1956, Jill passed away peacefully late Friday, September 16, 2011. With Jill at her transition were her dearly loved and loving companions Catherine Vail, Karen Young and Myron Wealr, her chosen family. Irreplaceable, Jill was one of a kind, and she leaves behind many broken hearted. There is much grief in losing Jill, but there is also some joy that she is now free from the ravages of a debilitating form of MS. At the end, Jill was comfortable and beautiful.

Over the years, Jill grew to love and be loved by many people. Feisty to the end, Jill was also a faithful friend and fierce advocate; she’d go the distance with and for you.

Some of Jill’s favourite things included running (sometimes, backwards), coffee, spelling bees, sushi, writing, CBC radio, Dave Brubeck and Wayne Dyer, crossword puzzles, researching, Paris, hosting turkey dinners, her whiteboards, being cheeky and, of course, her peeps. Jill’s presence and her laugh could fill a room. And, her wit and innocence were at times disarming.

Whatever the endeavor, Jill always displayed creativity and enthusiasm. Jill was also a visionary. She possessed a tireless commitment to improve the health and human rights of all, as well as a life-long love of the arts.

At 21, Jill became the Director of Northwestern National Exhibition Centre (K’san, where Gitxsan culture is celebrated) in Hazelton, BC, and where she also made many life-long and devoted friends. Jill curated countless exhibitions, gallery and museum shows. Jill loved her work as an on-air journalist covering the visual arts for the CBC; her time with Aubrey Daymon creating radio shows at Vancouver Cooperative Radio; and writing her Artline column for the Vancouver Courier. Jill was also the editor and/or author of more than 450 articles for local, national and international magazines, newspapers, books and journals on cultural, human rights and arts issues.

Jill was a driving force behind the creation of the Women’s Action Network for Amnesty International (Canadian Section/English Speaking), and the Vancouver Association for the Survivors of Torture (VAST). Dear to her heart, Jill edited the VAST Quarterly and created the VAST Chronology that first appeared in the December 2000 issue of that publication. Jill spent many years advocating for people in chronic pain as Facilitator of the then-known Physical Medicine Research Foundation (PMRF) Chronic Pain Support Group.

Jill’s commitment to volunteerism was displayed in such activities as her participation on numerous boards of directors of non-profit visual arts, theatre and video organizations, human rights organizations, a cooperative credit union and food cooperatives. Jill developed fundraising strategies for over fifty art gallery exhibitions. She designed and taught grant-writing and publicity workshops for individuals and non-profit organizations. She also taught the course “Vancouver Women Artists 1889 to 1989” at Emily Carr University of Art & Design. She transformed volunteer structures by developing ones that took into account cultural diversity and health concerns. Jill was the initiator and author of by-law structural changes for non-profit organizations replacing the hierarchical with a lateral, team structure.

Jill was predeceased by her parents Janice and Harold Pollack. Jill has three siblings –Ann, Marion and David.

A very special thank you is sent to Marcia Pitch for her many efforts on Jill’s behalf. We also extend a grateful thank you to the compassionate and skilled staff at VGH (10H), and to many at Purdy 1, where Jill resided during the last years of her life.

Send no flowers please. If you feel the need to make a donation in memory of Jill, she would no doubt be thrilled if you chose a charity or organization close to your own heart. Jill’s cremation will be a private affair and will be held on September 26, 2011. A memorial celebration of Jill’s life will follow in approximately two months. If you’d like to share a cherished story or memory of Jill, or you would like to attend her memorial, please write to Jillspeople@gmail.com.

Arrangements under the direction of First Memorial Funeral Services, Vancouver, BC., 604-876-5585