Sydney Pollack

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Sydney Pollack, retired businessman and community leader, passed away Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021, after a brief illness. He was 93.

Born in Cape Girardeau to the late Esther Sorkin and Jake Pollack, Sydney's family was instrumental in growing Cape Girardeau's Jewish community and establishing the B'Nai Israel Synagogue, which was constructed in 1937 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. In 1916, Sydney's father founded Pollack Hide & Fur Co., which operated on West Independence Street near U.S. 61.

After a year of college at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Sydney joined the Navy's Electronic Transmission Program, a highly selective training program in the emerging field of radar technology. When the program ended at the conclusion of World War II, Sydney returned to school, transferring to Washington University in St. Louis, where he roomed with fellow Cape Girardeau-native, and future United States Senator, Jacob "Chic" Hecht.

In 1949, following his graduation from Washington University with a degree in engineering, Sydney returned home to Cape Girardeau and joined his father's business. He added "Pollack Steel Supply Co.," to the business's name, shifting the focus from hide and fur to steel and scrap metal, as steel became a lucrative commodity in the post-war national economy.

In 1951, Sydney wed Marilyn Yoffie of nearby Sikeston, Missouri, in an elaborate ceremony at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis. Over the next seven decades, Sydney and Marilyn were virtually inseparable. The couple raised four children in Cape Girardeau, where they resided until 1989, when Sydney sold the family business and retired to spend more time with his children and grandchildren.

Sydney Pollack

During his successful business career, Sydney took an active role in community leadership. In 1977, Gov. Joseph Teasdale appointed him to the Board of Regents for Southeast Missouri State University, for which Sydney would serve a term as president. During his term, he was instrumental in the establishment of Cape Girardeau's Show Me Center, which became the community's main indoor sports and entertainment venue. Sydney also served as the president of the Cape Girardeau Public Library.

Throughout his lifetime, Sydney was a fierce advocate for the state of Israel and the Jewish people. In addition to serving as president of B'Nai Israel Synagogue in Cape Girardeau, he also served as president of the Jewish Federation of Southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri, coordinating numerous missions to Israel.

After retiring in 1989, Sydney and Marilyn relocated to Memphis, where they remained active members of the Jewish community, and he became a staple at Saturday services at the Baron Hirsch Congregation. Sydney had an insatiable appetite for American history and continued to audit university classes in-person and online throughout his retirement. He was also passionate about chess and bridge, which he continued to play at a high level until just a few weeks before his passing.

Sydney Pollack is survived by his beloved wife of 70 years, Marilyn Yoffie Pollack; sons, David (Sharon) Pollack of St. Louis, Robert Pollack of Collierville, Tennessee, and William Pollack of Memphis; daughter, Julie (Marty) Belz of Memphis; grandchildren, Noah (Adina), Elizabeth (Jonathan), Jake, Hannah (David), Josh and Sarah; as well as great-granddaughter Olivia. At the time of his passing, Sydney was eagerly awaiting the arrival of three more great-grandchildren who are due in the spring of this year. He is also survived by his sister, Marilyn Goldman, 96, of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.

A private graveside service was held Sunday at the Baron Hirsch Cemetery in Memphis.

Charitable contributions in Sydney's memory may be made to the Baron Hirsch Congregation (www.baronhirsch.org) or the Margolin Hebrew Academy (www.mhafyos.org) of Memphis.