“Integrity is not a conditional word. It doesn’t blow in the wind or change with the weather. It is your inner image of yourself, and if you look in there and see a man who won’t cheat, then you know he never will.”
These words were spoken by actress Jeanette MacDonald many years ago, but they couldn’t be truer of this week’s Neighbor to Know. Please meet Old Town neighbor, Pauline (Polly) Cameron.
Born to British parents in May of 1924, Polly recently celebrated her 92nd birthday. Her father served for England in WWI and shortly after came to Canada where her brother was born. The family moved to Detroit and by the time Polly was born, her father worked for Ford. Her brother had serious health issues and the family would spend the winter months in Florida. She recalls that the first year the family packed up everything they had and went to Florida. The Great Depression was in full swing and the family did whatever they could to make ends meet. She never recalls wanting for anything and it all seemed like “one great adventure.”
Her first life test of resilience struck when her brother—whose memory still makes her eyes both sparkle and tear—passed away just days after Christmas at age 13. Shortly after, in 1937 as they were making their annual journey to Florida, her father decided on the road to “turn right” and head west to California. Her life was forever changed as a result.
Polly’s family, as many others at the time, came here knowing no one, with no job waiting and with only simple hope for a better life. They settled in Boyle Heights, where she quickly adapted to the newness of California life. She and her mother both loved the movies, music and all things Hollywood and would find every opportunity to see their favorite stars of the day. Polly had books full of autographs and pictures of the biggest stars of movies, stage, opera and radio. She most loved Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald, but has pictures of many others including Hattie McDaniel of “Gone With The Wind” fame.
She attended Roosevelt High School in Los Angeles and found the way to combine her love of Hollywood by working as an usher at the Shrine, Hollywood Bowl and Philharmonic, where she frequently saw many stars. She graduated at the height of WWII in 1943, and as she had great typing and steno skills that were much needed at the time, she was quickly hired at the Air Force office in Maywood. After the war, on a fluke, she took the Civil Service exam, was immediately accepted and sent to Europe.
She was based in Germany where post-war conditions were very difficult, but she managed to make lots of time to travel throughout Europe during her time there, seeing all the ho-hum places like France and England of course, but did many more exotic things like Tangiers and North Africa, where she rode camels.
In all, she tells me, she went to over 23 countries before her two-year contract was up and she returned to California.
When she returned, she moved to Carmel, again on a whim, where she found a job with the Navy and where she would meet her husband, Robert, who was serving in the Navy as well.
They married in 1952 with their first child arriving in 1953. Soon after Robert joined the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and they were sent to London for 18 months. When they returned to the states, they lived in Philadelphia where their second child was born. In 1957 while pregnant with their third child, they made their way back to California where their last three children were born.
It was while living in Belmont Shore that Robert fell in love with Seal Beach. The family totaled seven, with two boys and three girls. The new homes being built on the Hill offered much more space and a yard and despite Polly’s objections, they moved and in doing so became a forever part of the Seal Beach tapestry.
Polly’s next big life test came when Robert became ill and they had to sell their home. They moved to 10th Street and while renting, the home next door came on the market. Polly had some inheritance and was able to secure the house for a mere $14,500 in her name alone, an unheard of event in 1967. Robert passed away shortly after they moved into the home, leaving her to raise five children alone.
Knowing she needed a job and armed with great Civil Service skills, she applied to work for the U.S. Postal Service. During her interview she remembers the only question that seemed to matter was if she could walk 15 miles a day. She said yes and was accepted. Her children like to tell it that she was the first female postal carrier here in the city, but she set me straight immediately that she was actually the third. Regardless, she also laughingly shared that the 15 miles per day was no joke, and although she mustered through day one, found day two a bit rough to face.
She loved the job, meeting people in the different communities as Leisure World was brand new and College Park East was just starting up. She loved that her children could get on their bikes after school and they would come join her on her route to keep her company.
She delivered mail for over 10 years until a bad fall left her with a broken back, forcing her to leave. By this time, her children were grown and starting lives of their own. She found she enjoyed her retirement, and returned to school at Golden West College. She was once again able to travel, returning to a newer, different Europe than the one she left post war so many years earlier. She has also spent many hours traveling across our own channel to Catalina Island.
Her children have gone on to give her six grandchildren, all whom she equally adores. She lost her oldest son, Robert Jr. in 2013, but with strength of character and resilience that has defined her life, she has kept moving forward each day surrounded by a lifetime of friends she has made here.
She is an accomplished gardening hobbyist, and has created beautiful bonsai garden pots, all which contain delightful gnomes which she will gladly share with you over a cup of tea. She is still in her home on 10th Street and will be celebrating 50 years there in 2017. She believes that nothing in life is coincidence and her journey in life brought her here for a reason. We’re glad it did. We need more Polly’s in our life. I personally have discovered a new neighbor and friend I intend to cultivate as long as I can. I hope you will do the same.
Do you have a neighbor we should know? Please send them to me at: EBETHL@hotmail.com.
