Dennis Pollman, founder of Pollman Insurance and a longtime Seal Beach resident, died Friday, Feb. 5 after a lengthy illness.
Although in recent years he was best known for his successful business in Los Alamitos, Pollman lived a colorful life.
Friends and family members this week recalled how inside the serious businessman was a warm person who was always ready to hear, tell and laugh at a good joke.
“He would tell me his joke of the day whenever he came home,” said his daughter Stacey Chandler. “I will never forget how happy my dad was the day I turned 18 and could now vote Republican.”
“I’m going to miss him,” said Stan Anderson, former owner and founder of Coaches Sports Bar in Seal Beach. “He was always organizing things for us. He was such a loyal person to the community, loaning his classic cars for the Seal Beach Christmas Parade and was always generous to his friends.”
He was born May 19, in 1945 in Long Beach to Solanus and Ernestine Pollman and was the grandson of Merle Key Guertin, founder of the Best Western Motel chain. He was also the fourth great nephew of Francis Scott Key, author of “The Star Spangled Banner.”
His lineage may have helped spark his patriotic zeal and commitment to his chosen political party and his active involvement in many local and regional service groups and business organizations.
He was even an associate member of the Seal Beach Republican Women Federated.
As a young man, Pollman was an eager athlete.
“He held the Guinness World Book of Records for the 50-mile run from Long Beach to Laguna and back in 1964 as a senior at Wilson High School, said Anderson. “The record held for about 15-to-20 minutes, ‘till one of Dennis’s teammates on the cross country team bettered his time.”
Dennis Pollman also attended Blackfox Military Academy in Los Angeles and graduated with a degree in Business Administration from Southern Utah University, where he was president of Sigma Pi Epsilon fraternity. In 2005, he received the Outstanding Alumni Award from Southern Utah University.
After college, Pollman served four years in the Peace Corps.
He was married to his wife Bette and helped raise stepdaughters Christin Nolette and Stacey Chandler.
Friends said Pollman was an innovator and leader who invested his best effort into any project in which he was involved.
His affiliations include membership in the Seal Beach and Los Alamitos Chambers of Commerce, Cypress Rotary, Elks Club #888, Long Beach Police Officers Association, Long Beach Century Club, 11-55 Foundation, Executive’s Association of Orange County, American Agents Alliance, California Automobile Assigned Risk Program, Elite One, Model T Club, Ford Victoria Club and the Mercedes Benz Club.
In 1980, Dennis Pollman and two others founded the Long Beach, California Visitors and Convention Bureau. He served as its executive director and a board member from 1980 to 1986.
A viewing will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. today at Dilday-Mottell Mortuary, 5161 E. Arbor Rd., Long Beach. A memorial service will be held at All Saints Episcopal Church, 346 Termino Ave., Long Beach, At noon on Friday, Feb.12.
An interment service will be held following the memorial at Forest lawn, 4471 Lincoln Ave., Cypress. After the internment, friends and family will gather for a celebration of Dennis Pollman’s life at the River’s End Restaurant owned by Pollman’s lifelong friend Mike Balchin. The restaurant is on the beach at First Street in Seal Beach.
“In the short time I got to be with him, I guess you could say we were part of a brotherhood,” Balchin said.
Denis Pollman is survived by his wife, stepdaughters, granddaughter Morgan Nolette, sisters Patricia Pollman, Marteta Loy Hanns, Linda Ferrera and two nieces and two nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents and brother James M. Pollman.
