Rebecca “Becky” Polen

Rebecca E. Polen, 75, of Dover, passed away in the Community Hospice House at New Philadelphia on August 10, 2018 following a brief battle with Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

Born in Portsmouth, Virginia on May 2, 1943, Becky was the daughter of the late Henry A. and Marguerite M. (Steitz) Emig.

Becky resided in Gnadenhutten for 30 years where she and her late husband, Charles E. Polen, raised their four children. She was lovingly referred to as the “neighborhood mom” because she opened her home, not only to her own family, but to the neighborhood children also. Becky knew no strangers and loved to share stories of her own children’s successes and families.

She was a loving and giving individual, always placing others needs above her own. She enjoyed taking friends to doctor’s appointments or out for a day of shopping. Becky moved from Gnadenhutten to Dover, where she worked for 20 years at Dover and other area McDonald’s.

Becky will deeply missed by her family including her children, Lucinda (Kevin) Egler of Kent, Ohio, Dunyell (Tim) Conrad of Wadsworth, Ohio, Charles (JoAnn) Polen of Lexington, Kentucky and Frank (Gretchen) Polen of New Philadelphia; 10 grandchildren; two great-grandsons; a good neighbor, Jim Smith; and her siblings, Robert (Nancy) Tidrick of Tempe, Arizona, Richard (Jean) Emig of South Carolina and Nathan (Shelley) Tidrick of Newcomerstown.

In addition to her parents and husband, Becky was preceded in passing by her sister, Patricia Watkins; and her dear aunt, Grace Steitz.

Visitation will be held in the Geib Funeral Center at Dover on Tuesday, August 14, 2018 from 5 to 8 PM. A service celebrating her life will be held in the funeral home on Wednesday, August 15, 2018 beginning at 10:30 AM. Burial will follow in Gnadenhutten Clay Union Cemetery.

Memorial contributions in Becky’s memory may be directed to Community Hospice Truman House, 716 Commercial Ave. SW, New Philadelphia, OH 44663.