DeWITT – Amy Brillinger Pole, 34, of DeWitt, and formerly of Norwich, passed away on Thursday after a valiant fight to defeat brain cancer. Although the cancer took her body, Amy’s beauty, grace, and courage remained to the end, and she is an inspiration to all who knew her.
Amy was born on Feb. 18, 1978 in Norwich to Joseph and Kathleen (Loughren) Brillinger. Amy graduated from Norwich High School in 1996. During her elementary and high school years, Amy studied jazz, tap, and ballet extensively at the Bernie Windsor, Donna Decker and Amber Perkins dance studios. She attended Bucknell University on a dance scholarship and graduated with a BA in elementary education in 2000. She earned a Masters Degree in counselor education from Syracuse University in 2002. She was employed by the Fayetteville-Manlius School District from 2002-2007 as a school counselor at the Wellwood Middle School.
Amy was married to her high school sweetheart Kevin Michael Pole on July 31, 2004. They shared a joyous union that was further blessed with the birth of their son Jack Douglas on Christmas Day in 2007. Amy adored the role of mother and wife, but always showed great compassion for all others in her life, leaving a lasting impression on everyone she ever met. During her courageous battle she and her family were so grateful for all the members of Team Amy’s Army, who marched at her side throughout.
Amy is survived by her husband Kevin and son Jack; her parents of South New Berlin; as well as a sister Lindsay Brillinger of Syracuse and a brother David Brillinger of Sarasota, Fla. She is also survived by her grandmother Emily Levine of Sarasota, Fla.; her father and mother-in-law, Alan and Maryalice Pole of Manlius; brother-in-law Stephen (Colleen) Pole of Natick, Mass.; and sister-in-law Lindsay Pole of Somerville, Mass.; grandmother-in-law Geraldine Purick of Jupiter, Fla., and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and very close friends.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 9:30 a.m. Monday at Holy Cross Church, officiated by Rev. Msgr. Robert Yeazel. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery, DeWitt.
For directions, or a guestbook, please visit www.scheppfamily.com.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Amy’s memory are requested in support of Francis House, 108 Michaels Ave., Syracuse NY 13208; Dana Farber Cancer Institute, PO Box 849168, Boston MA 02284-9168 or Hospice of CNY, 990 Seventh North St. Liverpool NY 13088.