Essie Lee Polk was born on February 6, 1933 in East Saint Louis, Illinois to the late Acie and Elnora Taylor Patterson.
Essie attended East St. Louis Public Schools.
She was married to James Polk and later divorced. Essie had twelve children. She took
pride in cooking for her family and raising her children. She enjoyed making quilts in her
pastime.
Essie worked at Mallo's Baking in Belleville, Illinois and Jimmy's Rice House in East St.
Louis, Illinois. Essie received Jesus as her personal Savior and Lord forty-one years ago.
She enjoyed attending church services and was a church mother for many years under the
Pastorage of the late Elder Lester McGee at the Holy Deliverance Community COGIC. She
was also a member of Bethel Christian Worship Center before she became ill and could no
longer attend church.
Essie was in The Four Fountains Nursing Home and Rehab when she departed this life on
Friday, July 30, 2021 of natural causes. Essie was preceded in death by her parents; stepmother, Octavia Patterson; four sons; one daughter; five grandchildren; one great granddaughter; two sisters, Maggie McGee and Gertha McLemore.
She leaves to cherish her memory: her children ~ Frederick Polk, Terrence Polk, Quintin
Polk, Adrian Polk, Gale Mannie, Pamela Lawrence and Audrey Polk; twenty grandchildren
and a host of great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, other relatives and friends.