Tamara Polli

Tamara Polli, 106, of Kingston, NY, passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 12, 2024 at Ten Broeck Center for Rehabilitation in Lake Katrine, NY. She was born on October 17, 1917 in Riga, Latvia and was the daughter of the late Fricis Grundmans and Margrete Drust. 

Tamara emigrated to the United States in 1949 after fleeing Latvia in 1945 when her country fell to Soviet occupation. She lived for four years in an Allied controlled D.P. (displaced person’s) camp in Augsburg, Germany until she was sponsored to emigrate to the United States by her Aunt Evelyn Drust of New York City. She later moved to Kingston, NY with her 2 children and parents and enjoyed a long career working as a seamstress for Halpern Manufacturing Co., Kingston, NY. She also volunteered as a cook with her sister Margrieta for Rota Lodge (Latvian-American Disabled Veterans Camp/Lodge) She later remarried John Polli of St. Remy, NY.

She is survived by her daughter Brigita S. Roglieri, and grandchildren Michael (Danielle) Roglieri, Dr. Joseph (Melissa Grandjean) Roglieri, and Kris Roglieri, Janis Serafimovs, Kristine Serafimovs, and Dzintra Gordon. She is also survived by great-grandchildren Chase Michael and Liliana Pearl Roglieri, Sophia Grace, Olivia Alessandra, and Luca Brougham Roglieri, Gianna Paula and Santino Joseph Roglieri, and Jack Michael and Sean Hirsch Gordon II. Nieces and nephews include Inguna and Margarita Grundmane (Jurmala, Latvia), Mara (Grundmanis) Teteris, Arvita (Grundmanis) Cotter, Peter and Erik Grundmanis, of Canada, and Girts Upesleja (Fairbanks, AK).

Tamara is preceded in death by her son Valdemars Serafimovs, grandson Maris Serafimovs, and 6 siblings Margrieta (Upesleja), Zigurds, Fricis, Visvalds, Olgerts, and Arvids Grundmans.

Arrangements entrusted to Keyser Funeral & Cremation Service, Inc., 326 Albany Avenue, Kingston, NY 12401. A memorial visitation will take place on Friday, October 11, 2024 from 11am-12pm at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 104 Wurts Street. A funeral service will take place at 12pm followed by burial at St. Remy Cemetery, Greenkill Road, Kingston, NY 12401. 

A tribute for Tamara may be found at www.KeyserFuneralService.com, where you may leave memories and expressions of sympathy for her family. For those who wish, contributions in Tamara’s memory may be made to Redeemer Lutheran Church in Kingston and Rota Lodge in Elka Park, NY.