Polly Alene Thompson Wolf

April 12, 1950    ~    March 18, 2025

Polly Alene Thompson Wolf, age 74, died Tuesday March 18, 2025, in Lydick, Indiana.

Polly was born April 12, 1950, at South Bend Memorial Hospital, to Russell and Carol (née Loutzenhiser) Thompson, who, as well as Polly’s son, Nathan Fite and younger brother, Jeffery Thompson, preceded her in death.

In addition to Nathan, she had a son Chad (Arpeni) Fite, and a daughter, Heather Fite (Michael Castellon).

Polly was a 1968 graduate of LaSalle High School and attended IUSB. For much of her life, Polly worked in medical records and transcription. In later years she served in different capacities at Culver-Union Township Public Library. She loved the library, her colleagues, and all her bookie friends.

On New Year’s Day, 1995, she wed her former high school classmate, James Wolf, at Hilltop Lutheran Church of the Ascension in South Bend. After the reception, they drove across the country to Portland, Oregon, with Polly’s enormous Yellow Lab, Zebediah Goodfellow, staring at the back of Jim’s head and wondering what was happening. Polly was wondering, too, since she had just entered the life of being a stepmother to two preadolescent boys she barely knew in a town she had never seen before. She was a wonderful stepmom. 

Fifteen months later, a transfer to Jim’s company’s Chicagoland office brought them back to the area and they set up housekeeping in Culver. Polly remained close to her Lydick roots--because that’s what Lydick people do--and spent a lot of time with her parents, kids, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She later invested in a fixer upper house with her mother and children. She was arguably the most talented drywalling medical transcriptionist librarian in the area.

She was also a talented gardener, a remarkable and creative cook, an amateur veterinarian, and a patient introverted wife to an often distracted extroverted husband who loved and loves her deeply. And always will.

Following her mother’s death and a prolonged illness, Polly dedicated herself to reading and renovating the old family home in Lydick. That is where she died; in the home where she grew up, surrounded by wonderful memories and lots and lots of books.

Celebrating Polly’s return to her Lord are Jim, her children and their spouses, ten grandchildren, three great grandchildren, countless friends and two of the more remarkable and loving neighbors ever known: Danny and Darla Carter.

Family and friends will gather to celebrate Polly’s life at 9:30 am Tuesday, March 25 at St. Peter Lutheran Church, 437 East Dragoon Trail, Mishawaka, Indiana. Funeral services will follow at the church at 10:30 am with graveside services following at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, South Bend. 

Palmer Funeral Home – West Chapel 2702 Lincolnway West, South Bend, IN 46628, is assisting the family with arrangements. Condolences for the family may be made at www.palmerfuneralhomes.com.

3/21/2025 djb

https://www.palmerfuneralhomes.com/obituary/Polly-ThompsonWolf