Chase Joseph Pollman

The eldest son of the well-known Pollman Bakery family, Chase chose a path shaped by the horizon rather than the family trade. At the age of 16, drawn by the call of the open ocean, he joined the Merchant Marine and never looked back. Over a lifetime of travel, he sailed across the globe, forging lasting friendships in distant ports and collecting hundreds of colorful stories—each one complete with exact dates, names, and uncanny precision.

Chase was a legendary "finagler," gifted with the rare charm and wit to smoothly navigate his way out of any distasteful situation. Yet above all, he was the epitome of a true, dependable friend. A passionate lover of good food and fine fellowship, he shared countless dinners on shore and long evenings under sail. Chase rarely attended any gathering without a camera in hand, meticulously documenting life’s best moments and giving those he loved a treasury of memories they otherwise never would have had. While friends often marveled at how he could recall the smallest detail of every event throughout his life, they later discovered his secret: a lifelong devotion to writing daily in his diaries.

Chase was preceded in death by his father, Charles J. Pollman; his mother, Beverly Jean Langen Pollman; and his brother, Thomas L. Pollman.

He is survived and deeply missed by his loving wife, Ying; his son, Zach; his daughter, Katherine; his brothers, Fred J. Pollman (Rose) and Page H. Pollman; and his sisters, Mary C. Pollman and Leannah P. Duncan of Houston, Texas.

His lifelong circle of best friends—Gary Kohler, Brent Hider, and Randy Hines—will forever remember that Chase was a man who could be counted on for any need, no matter how small or how immediate.

Chase often reminded those close to him:

"Good friends are like stars. You can’t always see them, but they’re always there."

Fair winds and following seas, Chase. You are forever in our sights.