Polly Sharp Henn

She was married for 69 years to her sweetheart, Carl William Henn, Jr, who died in January of 2021.

Polly was born in Indianapolis on October 3, 1926, daughter of Harry A. and Helen (Greene) Sharp. Her father owned Indiana's first Ford dealership, opening Sharp Ford in 1919. Polly attended St. Joan of Arc Elementary School and was a graduate of Shortridge High School. Prior to her marriage in 1951, she worked in the Indianapolis sales office of U.S. Steel.

Polly and Carl raised nine children, and Polly was involved in their lives through school, Scouts, and cultural and other activities. The family hosted students and adults from abroad and, as empty nesters, Polly and Carl traveled abroad to Europe and Africa, often to visit their children who were living overseas. As a couple, they remained socially active, attending arts and cultural events into their 90s.

Polly was a lifelong member of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church and was very involved through the decades, working in the church office, on the Altar Guild, as a wedding hostess, and more. She dearly loved her SJOA small faith-sharing group. Polly was committed to helping others and volunteered for organizations such as the St. Vincent de Paul Society, WIC, and others, moving beyond her shy nature into leadership roles when needed.

Though quiet, Polly was known for being spunky and delighted family and friends with her sharp mind and quirky sense of humor. She was extremely organized, with a system for managing the logistics involved in raising a large brood. Her children recall with awe the magic she brought to their childhood holidays; even on a shoestring budget, she created a wonderland at Christmas and Easter. Polly loved to watch British TV and PBS, as well as golf, and the nightly Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!. She was an avid reader of fiction, history, and biographies until losing most of her sight later in life, at which time she began listening to books on tape. Also in later life, she discovered a strong connection with music, including toe-tapping to bluegrass.

Polly, first with Carl and then solo after his passing, began a long residency at senior facilities starting in 2018. She was lovingly attended to by all her children until her death. In spite of her physical frailties and suffering, she maintained an incredibly positive attitude and soldiered on, winning the affections of residents and the countless individuals who took care of her. Her great humor, quick wit, and endearing charm emerged even more in her last years.

Polly is survived by daughters Gretchen, Elisabeth (Will Carlson), Amy (Steve Ball), Ellen (David Weaver), Tess (Maurizio Mondello), Martha (Ledger Heavilon), Laura, and Merry (Bruce MacDonald), and son Carl, as well as 15 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. In addition to her husband, Polly was preceded in death by her parents and by her brother, Donald “Don” Sharp and her sister, Elizabeth “Libby” Smith.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church or St. Vincent de Paul-Indianapolis.

Visitation for Polly will be from 4-8pm on Thursday, February 20th at Leppert Mortuary - Nora Chapel. Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 10:00am on Friday, February 21st at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church. Interment follows at St. Joseph Cemetery. Online condolences and further information is available at www.leppertmortuary.com