Carol Lynn Pollock Kennedy
Carol Lynn Pollock Kennedy, 57, of Columbia Falls, died in a car accident Sept. 28, 2015, in southwestern Montana.
She was born July 3, 1958, in Chico, Calif., to Robert and Corinne Pollock. She grew up and attended schools with her three brothers in Douglas, Worland and Casper, Wyo.. Carol graduated from high school in Cody, Wyo. where she began a successful sales career, first in the livestock industry and then in newspaper advertising.
She met Brian Kennedy at a newspaper conference in Cody in 1981. At the time, he was editor/publisher of the Hungry Horse News in Columbia Falls. They were married in Cody on April 10, 1982.
Carol was co-publisher of the Hungry Horse News until 1999 when the business was sold. Her work was a major reason for the newspaperís success as she tirelessly directed its advertising sales program for many years. She always was the newspaperís biggest booster in the HHN building and local community.
Her children were the highlight of Carolís life and she proudly cheered on Jim, Justin and Tia in their many sports and music pursuits throughout their school and college years. She cherished family get-togethers with them around campfires, holiday reunions and sporting events of all kinds.
She enjoyed skiing, hiking, camping and loved her flower gardens. Boating at Hungry Horse Reservoir was a favorite. An enthusiastic runner, she ran the North Fork Gauntlet, Summit Classic in Kalispell and Bloomsday in Spokane, Wash. numerous times. She once finished second in her age group in the annual August race up the Danny On Trail to the top of Big Mountain.
Horses always were a big part of her life, beginning as a teenager with barrel racing and continuing for years on trails near her rural Columbia Falls home. She rode in the week-long Montana Centennial Cattle Drive from Roundup to Billings in 1989.
Animals and pets of all sizes loved her gentle touch, but there was a special place in her heart for her beloved boxer Layla.
After her marriage ended in 2011, she continued living in Columbia Falls and celebrated her first grandchild when Safia was born to Jim and Nikko in 2012.
Carolís family and many friends will miss her smile, her spirit and the sincere warmth she showed everyone.
Preceding her in death were her father, Robert; and grandparents, Earl and Thelma Dunham, James and Cleo Tighe and Merle and Virginia Swearngin.
She is survived by her children, James (Nikko) of Cave Junction, Ore.; Justin of Soquel, Calif.; and Christina of Columbia Falls; one granddaughter, Safia Kennedy, of Cave Junction, Ore.; her parents, Corinne and Jack Swearngin, of Cody, Wyo.; three brothers, Bob (Wendy) Pollock of Lakewood, Calif., Ron Pollock of Harbor City, Calif., and Jim (Debbie) Pollock of Cody, Wyo.; two step-sisters, Charlene (Bill) Klutts and Bonnie Swearngin, of Sheridan, Wyo.; two nieces Jennifer Brainerd, of Cody, Wyo. and Heather Papirio, of Denver, Colo.; one nephew, Brennen Pollock of Cody, Wyo., and numerous loving aunts, uncles, cousins and dear friends.
A memorial service for Carol was Monday, Oct. 5 at Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls and burial followed in Woodlawn Cemetery, Columbia Falls.