John POLSTON

News Death Notice

POLSTON, John age 86 of Dayton passed away peacefully the evening of Friday, May 3, 2013. He was born in Monroe Wisconsin on June 14, 1926 to the late John and Magie (Cecil) Polston. His family moved to Dayton where he attended Grace A. Green Elementary School then Roosevelt High School. He enlisted in the Marine Corps when he was 17 and fought in the battle of Iwo Jima, landing on February 19, 1945 and receiving the Combat Action Ribbon and the Navy Presidential Unit Citation for his service. He married Helen Balog in 1946 and attended the Dayton Art Institute from 1948 to 1952, earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Dayton in 1963 and worked at NCR as a technical illustrator from 1958 to 1970. He was Chairman of the Art Department at Sinclair Community College from 1970 to 1990. He founded the Dayton Visual Arts Network, won an award for his inception of the Graphic Arts Technical Program at Sinclair College and ran the Dayton Art Expo for many years. He was president of the Dayton Society of Painters and Sculptors from 1990 to 1992 and was involved in many other art organizations in the area. He taught at the Springfield Art Museum from 1990 to 2005 and won the DAI's Pamela P. Houk Award for Excellence in Art Education in 2007. He remained a passionate art educator for the rest of his life. He is preceded in death by his parents, his wife Helen, his sister Myrtle (Soter), and his grandson John Polston. He is survived by sister Gertrude (Crago) and brother McKinley, also by his children John Andrew and wife Marianne, Helen and husband Paul Martin, Diana, Christopher and wife Judy, Daniel, David and wife Julie and Mark and wife Cynthia, also by his grandchildren Cindi, Brad, Brandon, Christie, Jason, Summer, Shannon, Blane, Amanda, Colin, Sam, Carrie, Meghan, Aaron, Zane, Matt, Sierra and Eli, as well as many nieces, nephews, great-grandchildren and good friends. Visitation will be held at Newcomer Funeral Home at 4104 Needmore Road, Dayton between 5 and 8 PM on Wednesday, May 8, 2013. Funeral services will be held at the same location starting at 11:00 AM on Thursday, May 9, 2013 with Chaplain Hal Ward officiating. Burial will follow at Pleasant Hill Cemetery with reception immediately afterward at the home of David Polston in Brookville. If desired, memorial contributions may be made to Acclaim Hospice of Dayton, the Dayton Art Institute or the Alzheimer's Association. Condolences may be sent to www.NewcomerDayton.com