MARIAN POLLACK

MONKTON — Marian Pollack, 78, passed away at home May 20, 2026. She was born Aug. 25, 1947, in Paterson, N.J., to Rita and Charles Pollack. An only child, she was a voracious reader and keen follower of current events. On election nights, even as a young girl, she would keep a running tally of the incoming results, state by state, as they were called.

Upon graduating from Douglass College in 1969 she, like many of her generation followed JFK words “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country” and chose to enter the world of social service.

But first the summer of ‘69 beckoned and she along with thousands of others headed to Woodstock for the festival of a lifetime.

In the fall of 1969 Marian first worked as a probation officer in New York City and then as a social worker. Taking a break from social work, she and a couple of friends, on a whim, ran a Mexican import store in Provincetown for two summers.

In 1976, Marian was living by herself in Massachusetts on a dirt road on the edge of a town forest. She was working as a social worker in Greenfield when she and Marjorie Susman went to the same Equal Rights Amendment meeting and their eyes met across a crowded room. And so began their life’s journey. Within the year, they started growing and preserving their own food and making cheese with milk purchased from a local farmer in their kitchen. They dreamed of someday owning their own small farm — milking a couple of cows, making cheese, and growing beautiful vegetables for local restaurants and markets. It was then they realized Vermont was where they needed to be.

They answered a help wanted ad in the Burlington Free Press for a dairy farm job located in Monkton Vt. They moved to Vermont in 1980 into a rather dilapidated house as farm hands. And in 1981 they purchased the house, barn and farmland, their first Jersey cow, Sultana and named their farm Orb Weaver Farm after the industrious garden spider.

Marian had found her true calling. Along with Marjorie, they slowly increased their herd of Jersey cows, built a cheese room and cheese cave, and grew their market garden to three acres.

No one was happier than Marian when she was with her beloved Jerseys. Milking and feeding the cows was her absolute favorite time of day. It was hard for her to leave the barn at night because everyone needed just one more scratch under their chin.

As for cheesemaking, Marian only ever wanted to make a kid-friendly mac and cheese kind of cheese. No herbs, nothing fancy, just plain old Orb Weaver. The cheese became a local favorite with kids and cheese connoisseurs alike. And being the first small scale artisanal cheese producers in the state really helped the cheese to shine in many cheese cases and restaurants across the state.

It was in the spring and summer that Marian’s organizational genius really blossomed. Her rows of vegetables were always straight, the lettuce arranged by color for additional beauty, and the trellised tomatoes carefully pruned.

For her entire life, Marian never wavered in her principles of doing good.

Marian passed away peacefully at home from heart failure following a few challenging years. Marjorie and dear friends were by her side. She was able to gaze on the beautiful Longhorn cattle grazing her lush green fields until the very end. She was so loved by Marjorie, many dear friends, and the community she helped feed for 40 years. As she was passing, the sky blazed with a spectacular sunset of welcoming.

She is survived by her life partner of 50 years, Marjorie; her dogs, Ubu and Whimsy; and her besties, Lauren Slayton, Justin Willis, Annie Claghorn, Catlin Fox, and Cathy Hunter.

Marjorie and Marian could never have navigated Marian’s final weeks without the incredible knowledge, wisdom, and kindness of Sarah Frisch and everyone at Addison County Home Health and Hospice. A very special thanks go to her amazing caregivers Gail Serafin, and Meg Langworthy. Thank you for the love.

A celebration of Marian’s life is being planned for later this summer.

Donations may be made in Marian’s memory to Addison County Home Health & Hospice, 254 Ethan Allen Hwy, New Haven, VT 05472 ◊