Pauline Haggis

Pauline Perentesis Haggis, age 93 of Berkley, Michigan and Koutsouras, Crete, Greece, died peacefully on April 5, 2019. She was born July 28, 1925 in Detroit, Michigan to Greek immigrants Louis John Perentesis and Efstathia Liakakos. Her family owned the Olympia Candy Works, Inc., and her father was, reputedly, the first Greek millionaire in Detroit and a prominent businessman until his death in 1936. Polly graduated from Southeastern High School in Detroit in 1943. She received her bachelor's degree from Wayne State University in 1948, with majors in education and Spanish and minors in English and Italian. She had a passion for aviation from a young age and she learned to fly when she was 17 years old. Polly flew Piper Cub planes throughout Michigan and, when she was a junior at Wayne State University, she became the country's only woman president of a university flying club. On December 6, 1947, she married Alex John Haggis from Akron, Ohio. The adventurous couple traveled widely, lived throughout the United States with their three children, and ultimately retired to their home on Crete Island, Greece. Polly was an inspiring high school teacher, and she taught Spanish and English throughout the Detroit area, as well as English as a second language in Greece. She was a passionate liberal and a fervent political activist her entire life, and she was honored as the Berkley Precinct Delegate of the Year by the Oakland County Democratic Party in 2004. Even in her later years, she taught a popular current events class to seniors. Polly is preceded in death by her husband Dr. Alex John Haggis and her brother Harry (the late Shirley) Prentis. She is survived by her loving children Dr. Kalli (Dr. Michael) Doyle, John (Sarah Stodghill) Haggis, and Dr. Donald Haggis (Dr. Sheila Dillon), her beloved grandchildren, Michael and Alexa Doyle, Alex Haggis, Nova and Xander Haggis, and Christina Xenos (Alex Lyras), and her devoted brother Dr. John (Helen) Perentesis. She will be greatly missed. A special thank you to the staff at Chester Street Residence and VNA Hospice for their love, care, and devotion. A memorial gathering will be held Sunday, August 18, 2019 from 1 p.m. until the time of the service at 3 p.m. at the Wm. Sullivan and Son Funeral Home, 705 W 11 Mile Road (4 blocks E of Woodward), Royal Oak. Friends who wish to further honor the memory of Polly Haggis may do so by making memorial contributions to: Wayne State University Department of Classical and Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures 487 Manoogian 906 West Warren Detroit, MI 48201 313-577-3002 (https://clas.wayne.edu/languages) American Civil Liberties Union 2966 Woodward Avenue Detroit, MI 48201 313-578-6800 (www.aclumich.org )

Pauline Haggis

July 28, 1925 - April 5, 2019