Rev. James Merrill Pollard

— lifelong lover of music, trains, planes, history, travel, baseball, family, community, and chocolate chip cookies — died peacefully on June 5, 2026.

Jim was born in a log cabin in East Tawas, Michigan, and grew up in Kenmore, NY. During his school years, he shaped his commitment to community service through leadership roles in the Order of DeMolay, student panels to foster mutual parent-teen trust and confidence, and Model UN.

Jim’s church home was the Kenmore United Methodist Church, where he was active in youth fellowship, and spoke in a Sunday service about his “deep desire to tell others about the peace and comfort which can be found in Christian life.”

At Dartmouth, Jim rowed crew, sang with the Dartmouth Glee Club, was a brother in Delta Upsilon fraternity, and member of Casque and Gauntlet Senior Society, with its missions of unity, welfare, happiness, fellowship, and service “to God and their fellow man.” He remained a loyal and active Dartmouth alum, up to attendance at his 65th class reunion in September 2025, where he led a service in memory of fellow classmates.

Jim continued to graduate school at Boston University School of Theology, culminating with his ordination in the United Methodist Church, where he served numerous churches and held leadership including Council Director and District Superintendent roles over a 62-year clergy career forging connections and fostering unity. June 7th would have been the 62nd anniversary of his ordination as an Elder.

Jim journeyed to many countries in Europe, Asia, Central and South America, the Middle East, and Holy Land. He travelled both in ministry and with family, with a sense of perpetual curiosity, purpose, wonder, joy, and communion in shared humanity. He revelled in details, absorbing historical facts that fired his interests further. In addition to adventures abroad, Jim also took long-distance trips across the USA with his family, on which he was driver, guide and commentator on these focused educational journeys to key landmarks, exhibitions, events and natural sites.

Jim had a passion for music as a performer and a spectator. He sang Dartmouth Glee Club, Rochester Oratorio Society, and several church choirs. As avid fans of jazz, he and Sally enjoyed hundreds of performances including summer jazz festivals, BPO concerts, Musicalfare, and other local theater productions. He was an irrepressible armchair conductor of orchestral performances and enjoyed the annual Christmas Eve service, ‘A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols’ broadcast from King’s College Chapel, Cambridge.

Jim was an amazingly deeply involved husband, father, and grandfather. He attended every concert, game, tournament, and loved shared experiences with his family more than anything. He helped his son Christopher develop a lifelong love of baseball and they enjoyed this passion through all their years together. They loved attending many professional baseball games and Jim was always Christopher’s number one fan through all his years of playing and coaching as well. In his last years, Jim loved being a Papa to Owen and Lucas and they loved laughing, smiling, and tickling with him right back.

In an early expression of his calling to the ministry, Jim said that “…by helping others to live, I will also learn how to live”. His commitment to such teaching and learning shaped the whole arc of his life, heart and legacy of service to this call of love with which he blessed so many.

Jim was the beloved husband of 45 years to Sally J. (nee Vogel) Pollard; cherished father of Laura PS (Bradford) Lyndaker, Martha C. (Brian Turnbull) Pollard and Christopher (Emily) Pollard; devoted grandfather of Owen Christopher and Lucas Michael Pollard; loving brother of Cheryl A. Thomas.

A visitation will be held at Christ United Methodist Church 350 Saratoga Road, Amherst, NY 14226 on Friday June 12, 2026 from 1 to 2 pm where a service will be held at 2 pm.

Memorial gifts may be made to Christ Church Amherst, 350 Saratoga Rd. Amherst NY 14226 or to the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, 786 Delaware Avenue Buffalo, NY 14209

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