Polly Whitmire Evans Livingston passed away on January 23, 2023. Polly was born in
Saffell, Arkansas near the community of Strawberry, Arkansas, on July 7, 1925, to Azro and Dove Irene (Edwards) Whitmire. Polly was preceded in death by her parents, her four brothers, Grant, Millard, Melvin and Alfred, two sisters, Louise and Betty Ann, and two half-brothers.
In 1944 Polly met and married George Maxfield “Budge” Evans. Together they had two daughters who survive her, Suzanne Evans Blair (David Blair) of Batesville and Anne Elizabeth Evans (Talmadge Wright) of Santa Rosa, California. Besides her daughters, Polly is survived by her two beloved grandchildren, Geoffrey Maxfield Blair of Batesville and Madeline Evan Mahrer of Pasadena, California.
Budge and Polly were together for 24 years before divorcing. Polly then married J. Fred Livingston, Jr. of Batesville. Their 15-year marriage proved to be the happiest time in Polly’s life. Following Fred’s death Polly became an active and passionate volunteer in her community. She led the way for women by taking the helm in local community organizations. She was the first woman President of the Batesville Country Club, and the Batesville Chamber of Commerce. She was the first woman accepted into the Batesville Rotary Club in 1989, and later she became their first female president from 1996 to 1997. Polly also gave much of her time to the Business and Professional Women’s organization of Batesville, the American Cancer Society, the First United Methodist Church, the Batesville Area Arts Council, and the Old Independence Regional Museum, among others. Polly valued education and provided generous support to the University of Arkansas, Lyon College and UACCB.
Polly loved to laugh, spend time with her family, and work for her community; she was one of a kind and will be greatly missed.
Her family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to the staff at Eagle Mountain Assisted Living and Woodlawn Heights as well as deep gratitude to Jennifer Gillihan for her love and care of Polly to the end.
Visitation will be on Thursday, February 2, from 5:00-7:00 pm, at Roller-Crouch Funeral Home and the funeral on Friday, February 3, at 2:00 pm, at the Roller-Crouch Chapel.
Pallbearers are Sam Cooke, James Morgan, Glen Pool, Jeff Showalter, Steve Wright and Talmadge Wright. Honorary pallbearers are members of the Batesville Rotary Club.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Rotary International or the Old Independence Regional Museum.
