Stephen Douglas Pollock, 57, died June 15 after an 18-month struggle with cancer.

He was the grandson of the late James W. and Sylvania Throgmarton and the late Thomas Kyle and Ardelia Mayo Pollock, who will be remembered by older Piggott residents.

He was born Feb. 6, 1947, in Detroit, Mich., to Charlene Pollock and the late James C. Pollock. He was a graduate of Redford High School and the School of Social Work at Eastern Michigan University and enjoyed a life-long love of music and theater.

Pollock's desire to have a career helping others began at Northville State Hospital. He worked at Lafayette Clinic and Ypsilanti State Hospital as a licensed social worker and was particularly successful in developing innovative residential treatment programs for mental health patients. With 29 years in state social services, he retired from the Michigan Family Independence Agency. He then became Executive Director of the Michigan network for youth and families, where he worked to reenergize and equip a growing network of over 30 member social service groups serving communities across the state.

As a highly-sought consultant, he was asked to write and review grant proposals, both in the state and Washington, serving on the Federal Policy Board. Before his illness forced him to retire from MNYF, whose board presented him with a lifetime achievement award, he was consulting with Eastern Michigan University to update their Masters' Program for Social Workers to reflect much of the criteria he had learned through years of hands-on training.

Pollock is greatly missed by his loving friends and family; his life-long service and giving will continue to benefit many young people.

He is survived by his mother, Charlene Pollock Weigle of Novi, Mich.; his brother, Kyle Pollock and wife, Ruth, of Eldridge, Iowa; two nieces, Elizabeth Pollock of Norwalk, Conn., and Kristin Pollock of Chicago; two nephews, Mike Pollock of Bettendorf, Iowa, and Stephen Todd Pollock and wife, Corinna, and their children, Oliver and Isabelle of Erie, Colo.

Private graveside services were held for family and close friends on Friday, July 9, at Acacia Park Cemetery in Southfield, Mich.

A celebration of his life was held Saturday, July 10, at the Michigan League in Ann Arbor with Father Ken Chase as director. A slide presentation of his life through photographs and set to the music he loved, which had been lovingly prepared by his nephews and nieces, was given. This was followed by talks by his brother and colleagues from various agencies, reading of poetry written by him and closed with a trumpet solo by his nephew, Mike Pollock.

Memorial contributions may be made to Michigan Network for youth and families, Arbor Hospice and the American Cancer Society.