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Corsicana resident among world’s
oldest living little people
Big little life
• By Michael Kormos Daily Sun
• Sep 26, 2020
Polly Chase has seen much in her 95 years but she never
expected to be counted as one of the world’s oldest living
little people.
Growing up, Polly said she had wonderful parents, four brothers
and two sisters, all of average height and all of whom she
outlived.
She said she was never bullied or picked on but admitted having
four brothers may have had something to do with it.
She graduated from
Corsicana High School in 1944 and worked various jobs around
town, as a secretary at Northside Baptist Church, in the offices
at Sears, Roebuck and Collin Street Bakery and as a manicurist
in a beauty salon.
She did not know any other little people until one fateful day
when the circus came to town.
She met her future husband Clayton when he was working as a
clown for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
“It was love at first sight,” she said.
The couple married in 1948 and there was a story and photo of
the front page of the Corsicana Daily Sun.
Clayton got a job at Chance Vought Aircraft and they moved to
Dallas for about five years until heart trouble forced him to
retire.
They moved back to Corsicana and started Clayton Chase Grocery
and Market at 403 S. 20th St.
Polly is currently a resident at Legacy Rehabilitation and
Healthcare and said she enjoys it there but could use a little
more room. She counts her former caregiver and CNA Shawnda
Witherspoon as one of her best friends.
“If it was up to her we would be roommates,” Witherspoon said.
“I go by and visit her everyday.”
“We love each other,” Polly said.
Like everyone else she is tired of the coronavirus and misses
her freedom.
“I hope it disappears soon,” she said. |
Submitted by
Karen Rost
The Corsicana Daily Sun
- Mon., Dec. 13, 1948
Submitted by
Diane Richards
OBITUARY
Glenna “Polly” Chase, 95, passed away peacefully on
Sunday morning, January 31, 2021. Burial will be at
Hamilton Beeman
Cemetery.
Polly was the seventh child born to the late Samuel Mervin and Letha
Leora Melton Starks on September 19, 1925, in Corsicana, Texas. Polly
became a Christian in Sept. 1941, when she trusted Jesus as her savior.
She was a lifelong member of Northside Baptist Church. She diligently
served in the church office, keeping Sunday school records for many
years.
Polly had to overcome the many challenges of dwarfism. She was fiercely
independent and made her own way despite being less than 4 feet tall.
She worked as a state-licensed manicurist for several years. She was
also employed by Sears in Corsicana.
She met her future husband, Clayton Chase, when the Ringling Brothers
and Barnum and Bailey Circus came to Corsicana on Sept 23, 1947. They
corresponded by mail until December 1948, when Clayton, a circus clown
for ten seasons, left the circus’ winter home in Sarasota, Florida, and
came back to Texas. They were married on Dec 12, 1948. Many fun and
interesting stories could be written about the little couple with big
personalities
----
Glenna "Polly" Chase, passed away peacefully into a new heavenly
body early on Sunday Morning, Jan 31, 2021. Polly was the
seventh child born to S.M. and Letha Melton Starks on Sept. 19,
1925 in Corsicana, Texas. Polly became a Christian in Sept.
1941, when she trusted Jesus as her savior. She was a lifelong
member of Northside Baptist Church. She diligently served in the
church office, keeping Sunday school records for many years.
Polly had to overcome the many challenges of dwarfism. She was
fiercely independent and made her own way despite being less
than 4 feet tall. She worked as a state licensed manicurist for
several years. She was also employed by Sears in Corsicana.
She met her future husband, Clayton Chase, when the Ringling
Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus came to Corsicana on Sept
23, 1947. They corresponded by mail until Dec 1948, when
Clayton, a circus clown for ten seasons, left the circus' winter
home in Sarasota, Florida and came back to Texas. They were
married on Dec 12, 1948. Many fun and interesting stories could
be written about the little couple with big personalities.
Special thanks to the many caregivers at Heritage Oaks West, now
Legacy West, for their care over the last 14 years.
Polly will be laid to rest beside Clayton in a private memorial
at a future date.
Notes:
----
Glenna “Polly” Chase, passed away peacefully Sunday
morning, Jan 31, 2021.
In a September 2020 interview with the Daily Sun, Chase said she had
seen much in her 95 years, but she never expected to be counted as one
of the world’s oldest living little people.
Growing up, Polly said she had wonderful parents, four brothers and two
sisters, all of average height and all of whom she outlived.
She said she was never bullied or picked on but admitted having four
brothers may have had something to do with it.
She graduated from Corsicana High School in 1944 and worked various jobs
around town, as a secretary at Northside Baptist Church, in the offices
at Sears, Roebuck and Collin Street Bakery and as a manicurist in a
beauty salon.
She did not know any other little people until one fateful day when the
circus came to town.
She met her future husband Clayton when he was working as a clown for
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
“It was love at first sight,” she said.
The couple married in 1948 and there was a story and photo of the front
page of the Corsicana Daily Sun.
Clayton got a job at Chance Vought Aircraft and they moved to Dallas for
about five years until heart trouble forced him to retire.
They moved back to Corsicana and started Clayton Chase Grocery and
Market at 403 S. 20th St.
Polly was a resident at Legacy Rehabilitation and Healthcare and said
she enjoyed it there, but could have used a little more room.
She considered her former caregiver and CNA Shawnda Witherspoon as one
of her best friends.
Polly and Clayton
Clayton Chase on Ringling
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Navarro County TXGenWeb