Mary "Polly" Griscom

1935 - 2024

Mary "Polly" Griscom

Santa Barbara, CA - Mary "Polly" Griscom passed away on September 17, 2024, after a long and fulfilling life.

Polly was born on July 16, 1935, in Philadelphia, PA to William B. Griscom and Lillias Sinclair Patterson. She graduated from The George School in Bucks County, PA, and attended Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design. After graduating from Brown, Polly worked in advertising at N. W Ayer & Son and became Assistant Advertising Director at the internationally renowned Nan Duskin Boutique in Philadelphia. She met her first husband, John "Jack" Fiedler during the summers they spent sailing on Long Beach Island, NJ. They raised their young family in Wayne, PA and later New Haven, CT, where Jack worked for Winchester and then Colt Industries in Hartford, CT. The couple traveled extensively for Jack's work throughout Asia-Pacific, Europe, and South America.

Polly owned and operated "Artist's Signature Gallery" in New Haven, representing 75 Connecticut artists. During this time she also became a proficient printmaker to satisfy her corporate customer's needs for larger pieces of artwork.

In 1991 Polly married the love of her life, Warren Elliott, former General Council for Aetna Life and Casualty. She moved to Washington, D.C. with Warren, a skilled lobbyist, who had established the branch of his LA law firm there. When Warren retired, they moved to Hanover NH, where Polly spent ten happy years painting, biking, skiing, playing tennis, and traveling in the United States and the rest of the world.

In 2001, Polly and Warren moved to Santa Barbara, CA, where Polly was a member of the Santa Barbara Art Association and served on the board of Santa Barbara Studio Artists for many years. Polly continued to produce art her entire life, and is represented in many private and corporate collections.

When Warren passed away in 2012, Polly and their beloved therapy dog, Tashi, moved to Casa Dorinda, where Tashi made many friends on his visits to the medical center and on his daily walks. Polly continued an active life playing bridge, painting, drawing, and attending lectures, theatre, and concerts, and spending quality time with family. Polly is survived and will be forever missed by her daughter, Georgia Ford Griscom; son, Jonathan Fiedler; and sons-in-law, Hadley Ford and David Kujan. Her youngest daughter, Katrina Kujan, passed away in 2021. Polly is also survived by her five grandchildren, Madeline Ford Ryerson, Mary Kujan, Theo Ford, Laurel Kujan, Ava Ford, and great-granddaughter, Hadley Ryerson.