On Sunday, December 11, 2016, Karoline (Fuchs) Pollak, at age 94, died peacefully at home, with her beloved twin daughters Anne Marie and Karoline Elizabeth by her side.  She was predeceased by her cherished husband Karl Pollak.  Born in the small Austrian village of Beckersdorf, she was the daughter of the late Eva and Bernhard Fuchs. Karoline was the oldest of seven children and often took a mother’s role in their raising.  She took great pride in all of them and in being able to help her mother who had to assume many roles in running the family farm. Karoline and Karl left their homeland in 1951 to begin a new life in the United States.  They arrived with one suitcase and hearts full of courage and dreams. They rejoiced in the birth of their twin daughters, seven months after their arrival.  They resided in New Haven 24 years before moving to Northford in 1975.  Karoline was a gifted seamstress and worked for eighteen years at Robby Len Swimwear.  At her husband Karl’s request, following his first heart attack, she decided to retire early so that they could spend more time together. They were blessed with 56 years of marriage, sharing a life rich in love, giving, and sacrifice.  Karoline’s selfless love for her twin daughters was boundless, and returned in full measure by them. Karoline was a woman of immeasurable love, innocence, kindness, and joy.  Her smile captivated and embraced everyone she met. She faced hardships with courage and an unshakeable faith in her Lord — a woman without equal.  She is survived by her twin daughters; her sister Maria (Robert) Martino; her brothers Jakob and Anton Fuchs and her sisters Anni Knop and Liesl Uetzmann, all of Germany; her sister-in-law Carol Fuchs; her godson Richard Martino; and many much-loved nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews, who all knew her as “Tante.” She leaves also her dearest friends, Roberta Violette and Veronica MacKenzie, who lovingly called her “Mama,” and provided tremendous support during her final illness.  She was predeceased by her brother Bill Fuchs and her godson Robert Martino, Jr.

 Her funeral procession will leave the North Haven Funeral Home, 36 Washington Avenue, Thursday morning at 8:30.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St. Frances Cabrini Church at 9:00 a.m. Entombment will follow in the All Saints Mausoleum. Visiting hours will be Wednesday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.