Polly E. Fleming, 72, of Spring Mills, PA died Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008 at Mount Nittany Medical Center, State College, PA. She was born Jan. 5, 1936 in Chicago and raised by her guardians, Alexander and Alice Corbett, in Malden, MA.
After graduating from New England Baptist Hospital and receiving her RN in 1957 she spent three years with the Frontier Nursing Service in Hyden, KY, where she became a midwife. In 1964 she received her Associates Degree from Washington Bible College, Lanham, MD then traveled west to work in Bishop Rowe Memorial Hospital in Wrangell, AK where she met and married George C. Fleming, July 21, 1967. He died in 1984.
They moved to Skagway, AK in 1968 where Polly served the community as manager of Dahl Memorial Health Center for the next twenty years. She took a year's leave of absence in 1981 to earn her Physician Assistant certificate.
In 1988 she moved to Spring Mills and became manager of the State College clinic of Family Health Services. Seven years later she was employed by Geisinger Health System in Lock Haven, primarily in women's health, until her retirement in 2001.
Her hobbies included raising chickens and lambs on her farmette, enjoying her flower garden, weaving, knitting and camping in New England and eastern Canada.
There will be no memorial service. Contributions in her memory may be made to Heifer Project International, 1 World Ave. Little Rock, AR, 72202 (800-422-0474) or Central Asia Institute, P. O. box 7209 Boseman MT, 59771 (info@ikat.org). A guest book can be signed or condolences sent to the family at www.heintzelmanfuneralhome.com