Birth date: Mar 9, 1947 Death date: Jun 4, 2014
Russell Pollero was born on March 9, 1947, in Greenwood Lake, New York. He was the youngest of four sons of Evelyn Spiegelberg and Dario Pollero; Raymond, his identical twin, Ronald, and Bob, his oldest brother. Russell served as Read Obituary
from whatever hide, or stealth it had prepared.
To substitute for a friend imperiled,
and let him live another day.
The pace had slowed in the mild fatigue of the distance.
Another block of homes to pass,
the slowing sound of a car approached their quarter,
as if to park.
The faintest crunching of the tires on gutter grit,
and the sound of an electric window opening on the sea green car.
It had the length and crushed velour of counterfeit wealth.
The passenger in coat and tie all paisley. A war of colors waged on
the corpulent abdomen of the man who turned to them and spoke.
His words were low, and could not be reckoned, except they ended
with the inflection of a question or request. So Russell stopped,
and turned to help.
The boy just behind his friend, now saw the man’s face; a pale mass of
lumps and creases, topped with hair like thick straw soaked in oil.
His eyes like holes, framed in the squint of malevolent pleasure.
Suddenly presenting his fat right hand, a signet of gold on the shortest
of his fingers, wrapped around the grip,
of a snubbed nose revolver, its muzzle half a yard
from Russell’s face.
The flow of time which they’d been measuring
in the pace of their walk was now lengthened to the point of stillness,
deathly stillness.
No thought. No question. No hesitation to weigh and measure the possible result.
The boy grasped his friend by the shoulder seams of his
brown suede jacket, and in one great pull spun him ‘round,
and placed himself between, feeling the presence of the pistol
at his back.
Now pushing, pushing, pushing him
into the alcove entrance of one of the narrow homes.
The car squealed away as the occupants laughed,
as men laugh when they’ve too long filled their cups
with bitterness.
The boy learned that day that he’d been given a precious gift.
Not sought, but placed secretly there
when his infant heart was being knit,
first in image, then in flesh.
The moment had revealed it.
A gift when placed, now gift again when felt
in sudden, infinite strength of love,
for a dearest brother.
His boyhood now ended,
not in a moment hidden and carnal,
but an unexpected rush of virtue.
So many years ago, yet still beside him somehow.
His name in the litany, though now imploring rest,
for so great a friend, who’d steered to gentleness and patience,
the boy now grown old.
Who in the cold air of morning still knocks the ember
from the Lucky Strike,
and strips the paper;
the tiny leaves falling like a precious,
private autumn that love has made
invisible to the enemy.
I am so sorry for your loss I just learned of russlles passing I hd not spoken to him in Many years we went to school together in Greenwood Lake and he was my beat friend growing up when my family moved me to Jersey city nj mrs. Pollero offered for me to stay with there family so we could go to high school together we lost touch while I served in the Marines but i never forgot Russell or any member of this wonderful family even though we lost touch I still considered him a close friend and cherish the times we had My heart gos out to you and the family
Joe Den Bleyker
from Greenwood lake ny
It has been many years. I graduated with Russ and Raymond from Monroe Woodbury HS in 1965. The class just had their 50th reunion. It was because of this that many of us learned about his passing. Russ was a part of the art club groupies and of course one of our Lakers. I had founded a site on FB for our school. We have a memorial wall and I would like to share with the family that Russ has been added to it.
While I didn't know Russell, (I believe I met him once as a child), as the son of Peter Pollero, Vittorios son, Victors brother, and the uncle of Adam Pollero who died at the age of 21, June 27, 2013, I do feel your pain. I just now also read about Kyle, at such a young age. My heart goes out to all the Pollero family members. Being on the west coast, I didn't get much of a chance to know the rest of the family. Uncle Vic and Aunt Audrey were about it.
Pete Pollero
San Marcos, CA
I just want to thank everyone for sharing their stories with me. For those not present at the service, I wish you could have been there, but understand be it time, place, health, or personal reasons. I wish everyone could have spent more time with him this year, we thought we had more time. I lost my love, my heart is broken, but I know in time it will heal. Thank you for all your kind words and support, you will never know how much it means to me.
Dear Family,
I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your dear Russell and send you my sincere condolences. May you find comfort from God's word at Revelation 21:3,4. Heartfelt prayers are with you and your family.
My name is Eric Pollero and I have known my Aunt Mara and Uncle Russell every day of my conscience life. Whether it was spending virtually every Christmas of my childhood in Greenwood Lake in the 1970's or spending time down at their amazing house in Miami around the year 2000 (which I still tell stories about all the fruit trees in the yard), the time I have spent with the two of them was very meaningful to me.
As the first son of my generation of Pollero's, I always felt amazingly empowered with this Male Pollero mojo. Even though I am Bob's eldest son, it always felt as though I had the strength and love of four Fathers, as I felt a strong connection to my 3 Uncles, Ray, Ronnie and Russ. I love and miss them all very much.
Uncle Russ and Aunt Mara always made me feel welcome and loved. They opened their home up to me and they always shared amazing advice and stories. Maris, Blysse and I are heartbroken and want to send our love to you Aunt Mara, if you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask.
Sad beyond measure with Uncle Russell's passing, but equally proud to have had the experience of being part of his family and sharing his last name.
It's very easy to share my most treasured memory of Russell. The year following Kyle's death was one full of pain and anguish. I basically crawled into a hole to wallow in my own agony after the loss of my beloved little boy. Then on Mother's Day, a day I'd been dreading, the phone rang. It was Russ. He wanted to wish me a happy Mother's Day. He told me that in spite of Kyle's death, I should still celebrate his memory and that I should be proud of the way I'd parented Kyle.
He made that day tolerable and for that, I will always be grateful. Since then, even before we adopted our beautiful Katie Scarlett, Russ hasn't missed a Mother's Day phone call.
With a heavy heart and gratitude to have known him - Rhon
One of the finest story tellers I ever met. Below deck on the Wu Wang, by the light of kerosene laterns, laughing and carrying on as Russell went on about one thing or another. A fine human being.
