Raymond Thomas Polley

Raymond Thomas Polley, age 97, of Overland Park, KS died October 30, 2018. He was Chief Train Dispatcher for the Santa Fe Railroad and Chief Radioman in the United States Naval Reserve. Ray was born September 21, 1921 in Topeka, KS, the son of John and Theresa (Holtgraver) Polley.  He married Jolene Mann on October 30, 1962 in Miami, Oklahoma.

He was preceded in death by five sisters: Dorothy Laswell, Martha Polley, Lillian Doel, Bernice Luttrell and twin sister Ruth Graves.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Jolene (Mann) Polley, two sons, Ray A. Polley (Wichita, KS), Tim (Cathy) Polley (Newton, KS), daughter Gilda (Brian) Viets (Overland Park, KS) and three grandchildren, Jack Polley, Conner Viets and Erin Viets. He was preceded in death by great-grandson Maverick Polley.

He attended Branner Elementary, Lincoln Middle School and graduated from Topeka High School. Ray worked as a messenger for the Western Union Telegraph in Topeka from 1935-1941 and served an apprenticeship with the Santa Fe Railroad in Marion, KS to become a telegraph operator, relief agent, and train dispatcher, and retired as Chief Dispatcher in Emporia, KS in 1981. He joined the Navy in 1942 and served four years during WWII then remained in the Naval Reserve, drilling at centers in Wichita, Hutchinson, Emporia and Topeka. During WWII, he was stationed aboard the USS Hissem DE-400 and spent nine months on Guadalcanal. He was a life member of the American Legion Post 274 in Herman, NE and commander and life member of VFW Post 971 in Newton, KS and Post 1980 in Emporia, KS. He was chairman of the Harvey County Draft Board (Newton, KS). He was an amateur radio operator (K0JDB) and was past president and helped organize the Newton Amateur Radio Club and Emporia Amateur Radio Society. He was a volunteer repairing Talking Books cassette machines for the Library of Congress (1982-2001).

A memorial Service will be held at 1:00 pm at Brookdale Overland Park 119 ^th , 6101 W 119th St, Overland Park, KS on Saturday, November 10, 2018. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to All Veterans Memorial Park, Emporia, KS in care of the funeral home.