John Joseph Polinski

SING UNTO THE LORD A NEW SONG - Psalm 96
John Joseph Polinski, 78, accordion and piano virtuoso, instrumental and vocal music educator, conductor, senior director, arranger and composer, peacefully passed on to his next musical adventure on November 13, 2021, at home in Long Beach, CA.
During his eleven classroom years in the Jefferson County Public School system, he also wrote and published the "Colorado History Songbook" series that is still widely used in public and private schools in Colorado. He spent eleven years conducting vocal and bell choirs at Hope United Methodist Church, then on to Park Hill UMC and Green Mountain UMC. He greatly valued being the founding Artistic Director and Senior Conductor at the Parker Chorale, working with his daughter Alicia Pope, the Chorale's founder and chairperson.
John suffered a stroke in 2011. After initially working very hard to recover, he was able to return to his choral conducting. However, by 2013, a medical setback forced John to return to the warmer climate of Long Beach, where he remained active in the Chancel Choir and 'Fire Within Us' at California Heights UMC until 2019.
John J. Polinski is survived by his wife Sylvia Dunham-Polinski, daughters Alicia Pope and Bridget LePree, step-children Randy Festejo, Twila Ingram and Corey Festejo. three grandchildren, eight step-grandchildren, and one great step-grandchild. He also leaves behind his four brothers: Stephen, Peter, Daniel and Paul, 9 nieces and nephews and 3 great nieces and nephews.
The family requests that memorial donations be made to the church or community music group of your choice.
A celebration of John's life will be held at Parker United Methodist Church in Parker, Colorado is currently scheduled for February 21, 2022, at 1:00 PM. The California Heights United Methodist Church of Long Beach musical celebration has been delayed due to the pandemic. Interment services will be held at the Ascension Ukrainian Cemetery in Sayre, Pennsylvania, at a later date.