Judith Ellen Poler

Judy E. Poler Demby, of Concord NC died of her injuries from a tragic home fire on September 28, 2021. She passed away at 4:11 pm at Atrium Health Cabarrus (Northeast Medical Center) where she herself worked as a nurse for over 20 years. She was born Judith Ellen Haas to William (Bill) and Irene (Reny) Haas, May 20, 1965 in Ossining, NY. She is survived by her husband Michael Demby, her children Sam Poler, Hannah Poler, Jake Poler, and Kobe Poler, her brothers and sisters-in-law, John and Linda Haas and Bill and Erin Haas, her niece Kayla Haas, her former husband Jordan Poler, his wife Caroline Kennedy, and her in-laws Milt and Gene Poler. Many of her family were at her side in the ICU when she passed.

In second grade Judy wrote an essay about how she wanted to be a nurse. She volunteered as a “candy-striper” hospital aide when she was just a teenager. Judy and her family were very engaged with their community and were leaders at the First Presbyterian Church of Ossining. She graduated Ossining High School in 1983 where she played flute in the marching band and sang in the chorus. She then attended the State University of New York at Plattsburgh where she earned her Bachelor of Nursing and then became a Registered Nurse in 1987. Judy never thought of herself as “the smartest student” and often said she went to Vaseline University, where she just slipped through. But she and her hometown friend, Susan (Suzie) Costello, were at the tops of their class when it came to effort and compassion.

Judy’s first position as a BSN was at the place she started, in the Oncology unit at Phelps Hospital in Sleepy Hollow, NY, and the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, NY. She was on the cutting-edge of the developing “Bone Marrow” transplant procedure. She was caring for the sickest of patients and too many of them did not make it. Judy always gave everything of herself to her patients and more so, to their family members as they grieved by the side of their loved ones. Her empathy had no limits, and her caring affection lifted the spirits of all whom she touched. She then took an oncology nursing position at the University of North Carolina Medical Center. She worked 12-hour shifts attending to patients receiving the newest advances for cancer treatments. All day long she kept her own grief within, as all medical professionals are trained to do, and each evening she would allow herself to cry and mourn for the people she had lost. As a mother of her first child and pregnant with her second, she moved to Princeton, NJ and worked as a nurse at the Medical Center. She worked three days in a row, 12-hour shifts, until the day before her daughter Hannah was born.

In 1995, Judy moved with her family to Charlotte, NC where she took a position at Northeast Medical Center (now Atrium – Concord). With four children she needed more flexibility and took a “share-the-care” position that allowed her to work on many different units throughout the hospital. Over 20 years later she was one of the most beloved nurses at Atrium where she won the Nurse of the Year Award, and was recognized as “The Great 100 Nurses of NC” in 2014. The day before she died, she worked a shift in the emergency room. The next day her colleagues, her friends, tried to try to save her.

Since Judy’s childhood she was saving animals. Even the ants and flies were safe in her family home and were gently escorted outside. As Judy’s family grew so did her love for her furry friends, her dogs and cats, and rabbits, even fish and lizards. Judy began adopting and fostering stray animals. She volunteered and eventually became president of the Cabarrus Pets Society in Concord NC. She and her husband Michael moved to a larger property in Concord so that she could care for more animals while she worked tirelessly to find new homes for hundreds of her furry friends. In the early morning of September 28, she ran into the fire, down to the first floor where she saved the lives of her four fur-baby dogs, Neville, Simon, Thor, and Charlie and her three fur-baby cats Lewis, Quentin, and Lucy. She was finally overcome by the fumes and could not save herself. Judy will be remembered as the bravest, and most selfless wife, mother, colleague, and friend to so many. May her memory be for a blessing.

A memorial service will be held this Saturday October 9, 2021 at 10am at the Connect Christian Church, 3101 Davidson Hwy, Concord, NC 28027. Her minister from the Piedmont Unitarian Universalist Church and the choir, in which she also sang, will lead us in reflection and celebration of Judy’s amazing, yet too short, life. Masks are required to attend in person. Judy spent the past 18 months working to comfort and save the lives of people infected with COVID. Out of respect for her she would want all attendees to be vaccinated.

For those who cannot attend in person the service will be livestreamed on Facebook https://fb.me/e/15Z698NrW “Judy Poler Memorial Service”.

In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to the Cabarrus Pets Society (https://www.cabarruspets.com/).

**Please note that all flowers should be sent directly to the church. Thank you.