Polly Black Koerner, 90, passed away peacefully at home Oct. 3, 2023, surrounded by her devoted daughters. Polly was the daughter of Jane and James Black of South Orange, NJ. She was a graduate of Columbia High School and graduated from Colby Sawyer in 1952. While attending college and earning her degree as a medical technician she met Jack, her mate for life. She and Jack were married in 1953 and remained together until his passing in 2022 after 68 years of marriage. After a “living the Navy life” and moving throughout the Northeast, Polly and Jack moved to Cazenovia in 1963, and remained there until her death. Tamarack Ridge Farm is forever synonymous with the love and passion she and Jack held for raising their family and numerous horses.
As a young girl, living in suburban New Jersey, Polly would take two buses to commute to a local stable where she cultivated her passion for horseback riding. Over the past 60 years, Polly and Jack would trail ride, fox hunt, drive horse and carriage and raise thoroughbred race horses. She passed this love onto her children as she led the local 4-H club and the Cazenovia Pony Club.
When Polly was not tending to the many horses and animals on the farm, she was a steadfast civil servant, supporting many organizations throughout Cazenovia and beyond. She was a member of the Junior League of Syracuse, served on the board of CazCares as president and long-term volunteer, supporter of the Cazenovia Library and the Cazenovia Watercolor Society. She was passionate about education and served on the Clarkson College of Technology Parents Association, was a Colby Sawyer alumni trustee and a lifelong supporter of Cazenovia College.
Creatively, Polly focused her energy on the art of watercolor. Over the last 25 years she studied and created beautiful paintings that hang throughout the farm house. When not at her easel, Polly, along with Jack, could be found at their home on Lake George.
Polly is preceded in death by her husband, Jack, and her eldest child John Harold, Jr. She is survived by her four daughters, Kathy (Gary) Johnson, Lesley (Maurice) Lepine, Stephanie Ayer, Susan (Scott) Pearson; her twin sister, Susan Knox; her brothers, Jim and John Black, along with her 11 grandchildren: Katie, Julia, Molly, John, JD, Bobby, Duncan, Chris, Sarah, Steph and Sydney and seven great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 11:30 a.m., Saturday, October 21, 2023, at the First Presbyterian Church of Cazenovia. Private burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in Polly’s memory may be made to CazCares, 101 Nelson St., Cazenovia, NY 13035, the Cazenovia Public Library, 100 Albany St., Cazenovia, NY 13035 or to the First Presbyterian Church of Cazenovia, 27 Albany St., Cazenovia, NY 13035. Condolences for the Koerner family may be left at michaelebrownfuneralservices.com.
