GREENSBORO — John and Marianne Polickoski left a legacy of faith, service and enduring love that spanned more than six decades and will now help young men in the Diocese of Charlotte beginning their own journey of service through the seminary.
John Polickoski was born in August 1934 in Queens, New York, while Marianne Blaine was born in January 1935 and raised in nearby Brooklyn and Lynbrook. The two met after he swapped blind dates with a fellow West Point cadet and were married soon after.
They raised three children and enjoyed fulfilling careers. She was a secretary for Carrier, supporting engineers on a nuclear-powered submarine. He retired as a lieutenant colonel after a 22-year military career and then became a CPA.
After retirement, they settled in Greensboro, becoming active members at Our Lady of Grace Parish and building a life rooted in family and faith.
Since they were passionate about seeing the Church grow, the couple established the John and Marianne Polickoski Endowment Fund in October 2005, primarily to benefit young men interested in pursuing a vocation to the priesthood.
An endowment is a permanent fund, the principal of which is invested – not spent – that generates income to help pay for projects and programs specified by the donor. Endowments are tax deductible and help sustain the strength and viability of the diocese and its entities, paying for capital improvements, charitable outreach, education and parish operations.
Although Father Casey Coleman, pastor of Our Lady of Grace, didn’t arrive at the parish early enough to know Marianne before dementia took its toll, he recalls how John would faithfully bring her to Saturday Vigil Mass as long as her health permitted. She passed away in 2021.
When John died in August 2024 at 89, he left an additional contribution to their endowment from his life insurance policy, raising the current market value of the endowment to $325,000.
It was John’s consistent presence and dedication that Father Coleman recalls about the Knight of Columbus.
“As a Knight he was dedicated to raising money for the Council 939 Seminarian Fund,” Father Coleman noted. “He had a profound love and respect for the Catholic Church and its clergy and a deep love for our Diocese of Charlotte and Our Lady of Grace. I imagine that his support of the seminary flowed from this aspect of his faith and sense of duty to support the Church of Charlotte and its future priests.”
As Jim Kelley, diocesan development director, noted, “Individuals like the Polickoskis can have a tremendous impact on the future of the Church by establishing endowments. Doing so helps ensure that their legacy of faith is preserved for future generations.”
— Courtney McLaughlin
Fund an endowment
Interested in setting up – or adding to – an endowment to benefit your parish? Establish an endowment in the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation by leaving a bequest in a will, a beneficiary designation from a retirement plan, a trust or annuity, or a gift of real estate, life insurance, cash or securities. Join more than 1,800 parishioners who have informed the diocese they plan to remember the Church in their estate plans.
For details, contact Gina Rhodes at 704-370-3364 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..