Heights Loses Residents Chris Welles, Polly Herd

By on July 7, 2010 5:29 pm in Brooklyn Heights

The Brooklyn Eagle reports that two well known Brooklyn Heights residents have died.  Author Chris Welles and Grace Church member Pauline M. Herd, known as Polly.

Regarding Mr. Welles the Eagle writes:

He was called “probably the premier business writer” from the 1960s to the early ’80s by Steven Shepard, a former editor of Business Week and now now dean of the City University’s Graduate School of Journalism.

Welles’ 1975 book, The Last Days of the Club, told of the demise of the old Wall Street monopoly and the rise of powerful new institutions. In 1970, in The Elusive Bonanza, he accused the oil industry of failing to develop America’s vast oil-shale reserves. The book grew out of an article he had written as an employee of Life, but which Life did not publish, and when he then sold it to Harper’s, he was fired by Life.

And about Ms. Herd:

In the pastoral message, Fr. Muncie wrote that “Polly Herd deeply loved Grace Church and faithfully supported her church and many charitable organizations throughout her beloved Brooklyn. We have been blessed by her life.”

In their youth during the 1950s Polly and her twin sister, Vicky, were members of the fondly remembered girls’ choir, under the direction of Anne Versteeg McKittrick, who was organist and choirmaster from 1939-1976.

Polly Herd was the daughter of J. Victor Herd, an insurance executive and prominent figure in the Heights, and Pauline H. Herd, a civic leader in the borough who died in 2008 at the age of 102.

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  • Ben

    The loss of Miss Herd is a great one to all humanity. Miss Herd was my neighbor on Montague Terrace for nearly 20 years. We shared NYC Handicapped Parking Privileges and often would chat as we entered our cars, parked next to each other. Miss Herd was a devoted daughter she loved her mother and took care of her in her later years. A sense of community and a home town pride, Brooklyn Heights will be a part of Miss Herds legacy. Rest in peace Miss Herd. I will miss you.

  • Nancy Bischoff

    I met Polly and Vicky Herd in 1960 while we were all students at Adelphi University. I kept up with Polly fairly often throughout the years, and was dismayed to find out how sick she was — and even more so when I discovered, via the Brooklyn Eagle, that she had died.

    I always had great admiration for both twins since they never let their physical disabilities keep them from doing as much as anyone.

    I hope Polly is in a better place now. My sympathy to Vicky and any other family members.

  • John H. Welborne

    The Victor Herd Herd family consisted of four wonderful and extraordinary people. My thoughts are with Vicky, the survivor. Polly was, indeed, a wonderful sister, daughter, and person. My family and the Herd family have known one another since the beginning of the 20th Century. My mother and Mrs. Herd (nee Pauline Hoffman, who subsequently became a lawyer and was one of the first women admitted to the California State Bar) were schoolgirls together, here in Los Angeles. I’ve know the Herd twins for all of my life, and I shall miss Polly very much. The Brooklyn Heights commenters, above, captured her generosity of spirit and indomitable nature.

  • http://VictoriaP.(Vicky)Herd Nancy Bischoff

    Polly’s twin sister, Vicky, died on September 29, 2010, in Doylestown, PA, where she was making her home.

  • nabeguy

    Were these the twins that worked for Dr. Weeks? I remember (In addition to the incredible Oriental rug in the waiting area), that there were two disabled sisters who alternated as receptionists sitting at the small desk at the front of the room. They were always so sweet, especially compared to Dr. Weeks, who was rather stern.
    Sorry to hear of their passing.