Pauline Roberts Lamar

Polly Lamar was born August 6, 1937, in Milledgeville, Georgia. She received a B.A. in English with a minor in Drama from the Georgia State College for Women (now Georgia College & State University), and received a Master’s Degree in remedial reading from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She taught elementary and high school students as a federal Title I reading specialist in the Birmingham and Midfield city school systems for many years.

Polly met her husband of 65 years, Robert Oscar Lamar III, while she was student teaching in Atlanta and he was a student at Georgia Tech. They married in 1960 and lived in Norfolk, Virginia, while Robert was on active duty with the U.S. Navy. In 1962, they moved to Birmingham, Alabama, where they reared their three children, Wayne, Cynthia and Glenn. Polly was a devoted wife and mother, attending and hosting many Navy Reserve functions with Robert, while attending countless sporting events and school programs for their children, never missing an opportunity to teach their children – and all of their friends, and anyone else who might be within earshot – the most arcane rules of English grammar. Polly and Robert gave their children the gift of the example of a long and devoted marriage as well as happy childhoods filled with art projects and puppet shows and picnics in the yard. They were equally-devoted grandparents, celebrating each of their grandchildren for who they are, taking them on trips to the beach and attending countless games, recitals, plays and school programs.

Polly and Robert were active members for many years at East Lake United Methodist Church and then, for the last 20 years, at Trussville United Methodist Church.

Polly was predeceased by her parents, Grace Jackson Roberts and Cedric Guy Roberts, and her siblings, Jaqueline Mercer and Cedric Roberts, Jr. She is survived by her devoted husband, Robert Lamar; her children, Wayne Lamar (Sherri); Cynthia Lamar-Hart (Mark Hart) and Glenn Lamar (Janice Clifford); her grandchildren, Weston Taylor (Nancy), Gwendolyn Hart, Jackson Lamar (Shannon), Graham Hart (Skylar Bluemly), Franklin Lamar (Hillary), Aubrey Hart, Connor Hart and Tanner Lamar; and her great grandson Jude Taylor; as well as many nieces and nephews and their children and grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 29, at the chapel at Fair Haven, 1424 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35210. Visitation will be from noon to 1:00, with the service to be held at 1:00.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites donations to MercyShips.org (the hospital ships).