Jack S. Pollock May 22, 1931 ~ February 20, 2009
		Draucker Funeral Home 700 N. Spruce Street Post Office Box 296 Ogallala, NE 69153 Ph:  308.284.4021

 OBITUARY

Longtime Nebraska newspaperman, Keith County News publisher emeritus and longtime Ogallala and Lake McConaughy resident Jack S. Pollock, 77, died Friday Feb. 20, 2009, in Ogallala Community Hospital.

Cremation was chosen and there will be no viewing.  Memorial services will be held Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at 2 p.m. in the First Congregational United Church of Christ with the Revs. Lauran Heidenreich and Phil Ewert officiating.

He was born May 22, 1931, at Stanton, the son of District Judge and Mrs. F. H. Pollock.

After high school, he was inducted into the U.S. Navy in 1952. He finished first in his class at the Navy's journalism school at Great Lakes, IL and served four years as a Navy journalist, editing daily and weekly publications in the Pacific during the Korean Conflict.

Following his military service, he received a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1958, and was named Sigma Delta Ch's outstanding male graduate in journalism.

While at UN-L, Pollock was editor of the Daily Nebraskan, was a fraternity president and vice president of the Interfraternity Council, and was a member of the Innocents Society.

On Sept. 13, 1958, he married Beverly Ann Buck at Lincoln.

Pollock began a civilian journalism career that would eventually lead to induction into the Nebraska Journalism Hall of Fame in 2000 and recognition with the Nebraska Press Association Master-Editor Publisher Award in 1993.

After a college stint at the Lincoln Journal-Star and his military journalism career, Pollock began a civilian journalism career, working as a news editor for the Sidney Telegraph from 1958-60.

In 1960, he began his affiliation with the Keith County News, hired as a news editor. The Pollocks purchased the Keith County News in 1966, and he was associated with the Ogallala-based paper the remainder of his life. The Pollocks sold the paper on July 1, 2000, and he had been publisher emeritus since then.

Among countless journalism awards, which included the NPA's Golden Pica Pole for 50 years of service, Pollock also was recognized with the state's Henry Fonda Award for tourism promotion in 1993, and the Friend of Travel Industry Award in 1985.

He also received distinguished service awards from the University of Nebraska Alumni Association and the National Guard Association of Nebraska.

Pollock was past president of the Western Nebraska United Chambers of Commerce, the NEBRASKAland Foundation, the Ogallala Chamber of Commerce and was a past Exalted Ruler of the Ogallala Elks Lodge.

He was past director of the Old West Trail Foundation, University Alumni Association, UN-L's President's Advisory Committee, U.S. West Communications-Nebraska Advisory Board, and the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and was a former member of the Nebraska Diplomats.

Locally, he was a past president of the Ogallala Main Street program, was president of the Keith County Visitors Committee, and served on the boards of the Petrified Wood Gallery and the Keith County Community Foundation. He was also a long-time member of Rotary International, Ogallala.

He also served as vice president of the Friends of Big Mac, which raised funds to build the Lake McConaughy Visitor Center.

Pollock initiated efforts to establish Boot Hill at Ogallala as a historical site at Ogallala, originated the idea for Ogallala's Front Street attraction, and initiated efforts that led to funding for the Ash Hollow Interpretive Center at Ash Hollow State Historical Park near Lewellen.

His civic involvements were many, including being a member of Keith County Veterans of Foreign Wars and Paxton American Legion Post 303. He was affiliated with the First Congregational United Church of Christ and Ogallala Yacht Club. He also organized the Lake McConaughy Lessees group.

Survivors include his wife, Beverly of Ogallala; a son, Andrew S. Pollock and his wife, Dr. Kris, of Lincoln; a daughter, Allison Ann and her husband, Larry Welch Jr., of Omaha; seven grandchildren, Elizabeth, Sam, Katherine Lela and McConaughy Mac Pollock of Lincoln, and Buck, Benjamin and Jack Welch of Plattsmouth; a sister, Judy Bruce of Springfield, VA; a sister-in-law, Jo and her husband, Bill Olson, of Surprise, AZ; a cousin; and nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Jim; and a brother-in-law, Robert Bruce.

Memorials are directed to the Keith County Community Foundation, the 21st Century Endowment of the First Congregational, United Church of Christ, and the Nebraska Press Association Foundation.

Inurnment will be in the Ogallala Cemetery with military rites by Paxton American Legion . 

Draucker Funeral Home of Ogallala is in charge of arrangements.