Flora Fay “Flo” Pollatsek Emmett

May 25, 1933 - February 7, 2025

Flo was born in Detroit, MI and moved as a child to CA, where she spent most of her later life in Lakewood, CA. She was employed as a young girl at Groman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood as a ticket taker. Later she became a Navy wife and mother. When her children were in school, she returned to work at FedCo department store, Cerritos, as a Department Supervisor where she would stay for over 30 years.

After she and husband John Melvin Emmett went their separate ways, she eventually retired, enjoyed the FedCo Breakfast Club, the Los Altos Senior Center, her avid reading, and her Samoyed dog(s). She traveled with her family to Hawaii, Yosemite, Gettysburg, Maryland, Washington D.C. memorials, the Caribbean (cruise), Cape Cod, and to our homes in Cottonwood (Stephen), Carmel (Michael) and Lake Tahoe (Charles), CA. At home in Lakewood, she enjoyed her neighbors and friends, firmly refusing to move anywhere in her later years.

She is survived by three sons (and wives), from eldest to youngest, Stephen (Renee’), Michael (Patti), and Charles (Janet). Her four grandchildren: Shanon, Marlene; Jason and Keira along with multiple great-grandchildren also survive her.

She is predeceased by her father, mother, brother and ex-husband. Her father, Leon Pollatsek, maître d' at the Bel Air Hotel Restaurant, was a Jewish Czech immigrant to New York, fleeing pre-WWII anti-Semitic Germany with his brothers. At the last minute, his mother refused the trip. At that, his sister stayed behind and both were never heard from again. Her mother, Helen Gross Pollatsek, was a Jewish Hungarian, born in America of immigrant parents. Mrs. Pollatsek worked selling shoes at Macy’s. Flo's brother, Jack Pollatsek, was a UC Berkeley and Berkeley law school graduate and an attorney-at-law in San Francisco.

Her ex-husband and father of her boys, John Melvin Emmett, had retired from the Navy. When Flo and he parted, he left CA and returned to his home state (KY), where several years later, he died at his home.

No public services were held, and she pre-arranged to be cremated. The family thanks you for the love you gave Flo during her life.

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