Polly Belcher Simmons, 83, passed away at her home in Hampton, Virginia on December 30, 2025, surrounded by her family.

Polly impacted many through her work at the Hampton Public Library Extension Services for the Blind, her membership in the Peninsula Council of the Blind, and the Hampton Mayor's Committee for People with Disabilities, as a Board Member for the Virginia Association of Works for the Blind, and as a member of the Phoebus Lions Club.  She served the community for over 35 years, matching books to patrons, increasing awareness of the challenges of the blind through speaking engagements at library conferences and schools, and fellowship through the game nights, support groups, fishing trips, annual picnics and weekends away at Burkeville Lodge she coordinated.

Polly was preceded in death by her parents, George and Ethel Belcher, her siblings, Stewart Belcher, June Ford (Walter Dixon), Henry Belcher, Wallace Belcher, Mildred Walton (Alton), Magdeline Phillips (Joseph), Franklin Belcher, William Belcher, Bettie Jane Belcher, Elizabeth Belcher, Shadey Belcher, Patricia Belcher, Rollen Belcher, Lee Belcher, Lonnie Belcher, and Dorothy Belcher, and her great-granddaughter, Iris Turpin.  She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Lee, her children Shari Allen (Anthony Cochran), Catherine Miklos (Tom), her grandchildren, Debra Allen, Robert Turpin, Gabrielle and Caitlin Miklos, and great-grandchildren, Xavier Turpin-Thompson, D'Marcus Thompson, Branden Allen, and Aiden Kelly, and her brother Lawrence (Janice).  She leaves behind an extensive family of in-laws, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The family would like to thank Elise McLawthorn, NP, for referring her to hospice, and Tabitha, Karen, Debbie, and Robinetta for their excellent care.

A celebration of life will be held on January 17, 2026 at noon at Liberty Live Church, 1021 Big Bethel Rd, Hampton, VA 23666.  She will be interred at the Belcher Family Cemetery in Big Rock, Va at a later date.

The family requests that donations be made in lieu of flowers to the Lions Club International Foundation Donations to LCIF Empowering Service Fund or Virginia Association of Workers for the Blind PO Box 116 Burkeville VA 23922. https://vawb.org/index.html