Polly Montgomery Schneck, longtime resident of Seymour, died on Sunday, September 6, 2026, just weeks after celebrating her 100th birthday at the family home on North Poplar Street that she loved so dearly.

Polly was born in 1926 to T. Harlan and Helen Murdock Montgomery. She and her two older brothers grew up in Seymour in the Dutch Colonial Revival house on North Poplar that had been built for her parents as a wedding gift. Her grandparents, Oscar and Ida Montgomery, lived nearby on North Walnut Street and Polly delighted in visiting there throughout her childhood. Her father and grandfather founded a law firm in Seymour and practiced law together for many years. Her grandfather also served as a justice on the Indiana Supreme Court.

Polly attended public school in Seymour through the tenth grade and then finished high school at Tudor Hall in Indianapolis, graduating in 1944. She went on from there to Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, where she earned a degree in art history in 1948. Later that year, she married her high-school boyfriend, Paul Schneck, who was studying to be a doctor. Paul's family also had a long history in Seymour. In 1910, his great-grandmother, Mary Schneck, donated land and money to build the town's first hospital in memory of her husband, Louis Schneck, who had served as President and General Manager of the Seymour Woolen Mill. The hospital is now known as Schneck Medical Center.

Paul's medical career, first as a pediatrician and then as a radiologist, took them to Wiesbaden, Germany; Louisville, Kentucky; and finally, back to Seymour and the house on North Poplar Street. Polly poured her time and talents into homemaking and raising their five children. She had an extraordinary way of turning holidays into something truly magical, Christmas most of all. She eagerly anticipated summer vacations, when they would load up the station wagon and head east for two weeks on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Polly and Paul eventually designed and built a home of their own on the oceanfront in Nags Head. Realizing a long-held dream, they would spend several weeks there every year and host visits with their children and grandchildren.

Polly was a voracious reader, an accomplished pianist, and a gifted artist. She loved swimming, biking, and cross-country skiing. With a discerning eye for antique furnishings, dolls, and toys, she took great pleasure in traveling with her son, David Schneck, always on the lookout for unique treasures to add to her growing collection.

Her interest in architecture and historic preservation led to her becoming a charter member of the Seymour Heritage Foundation. She was proud to be part of that group's work to restore the Beaux Arts-style Farmers Club, the first building in Seymour to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Through Polly's efforts, two more Seymour buildings were added to the National Register: The First Presbyterian Church, notable for its stained-glass windows; and the Montgomery House, her family's home on North Poplar Street.

Another project dear to Polly's heart was promoting the planting and proper care of trees in Seymour. With her nephew, Douglas Montgomery, she helped manage the Montgomery Memorial Tree Charitable Trust founded by her late brother, Richard Montgomery, to bring back the tree-lined streets they remembered from their childhood. She was also a charter member of the Schneck Society for Schneck Medical Center.

In addition to her parents and brother, Richard, Polly was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Dr. Paul Schneck; daughter, Sarah Houston; son-in-law Alfred Glossbrenner; and brother, Henry Montgomery.

She is survived by her son, David Schneck, who was her devoted companion and caregiver for the last few years of her life; daughters, Emily Glossbrenner of Yardley, Pennsylvania; Ellen Meyer and her husband, Jon, of New Braunfels, Texas; and Mary Kelchner and her husband, Don, of Northfield, Minnesota. Also eight grandchildren: Chris Houston, Scott Houston, Brian Houston, Kathryn Moor, Sarah Fitzgerald, Jennifer Henderson, Holly Kelchner, and Matthew Kelchner; five great-grandchildren; nephew, Douglas Montgomery; and nieces, Elizabeth McKeever, Dr. Patricia Kovach, Debbie Dennis, Becky Drapkin, and Cindy Bradburn.

The family extends its heartfelt thanks to the nursing staff at Schneck Medical Center for providing kind, compassionate, and thoughtful care to Polly.

A private graveside service was held at Riverview Cemetery in Seymour. Memorial donations in Polly's name may be made to the Montgomery Memorial Tree Charitable Trust, Attn: Missy Fleetwood, First Financial Bank, 125 3rd Street, Columbus, IN 47201.

Arrangements are under the care of Burkholder Chapel of Thorne Family Funeral Homes, 419 N. Chestnut Street, Seymour, IN 47274.

Memories and condolences may be shared at www.ThorneFunerals.com.