Jim and Lynn Polk: A celebration of life

By Susan Palmes-Dennis

ROCKINGHAM, North Carolina—There’s a beautiful love story to tell about James K. Polk Jr. and Lynn Lorenzo,  though I start to recount their story on a sad, albeit contrasting note. 

On the morning of March 30, 2023–6:29 am to be exact—James K. Polk Jr or ‘Jim’ as he’s called by friends—-took his last breath and passed away at home in Gastonia. Sadly, his death occured on his wife Lynn Lorenzo Polk’s birthday. 

Jim was dignosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer and with very little to do other than to provide comfort, Lynn Lorenzo Polk—a two-time past president of the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas (FACC)—chose to have her husband of 30 years close by at her side in their home. 

To honor Jim, a celebration of his life will be held at the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church at 232 Skyland Avenue, Charlotte, North Carolina on April 12. The church was personally chosen by Jim as it held many special moments for him.

For Lynn, Jim was a ‘wonderful person, whom I’ll always remember.’  She recalled that at 3 am that March 30 morning, she checked on him and saw that he was still breathing. She went back to sleep and dreamed that someone was selling her something. 

‘I told the person in my dream that ‘I could not entertain you since my husband is sick,’ Lynn said.  

Since the person in that dream was insistent, Lynn woke up and checked again on her husband only to see that he passed away in his sleep.

The believers among us would think that Jim wanted her to celebrate life and not to mourn his passing. 

Jim and Lynn were always a couple in any events in the FACC calendar be it the annual Gala or anywhere.  

Any FACC member can see photos of them always together whether it be social, civic and entertainment events. They’re always at each other’s side, Jim always wearing a smile on his face in public.  Jim also served as FACC area representative. 

Jim served in the US Air Force by the way.  In one of my conversations with Lynn, she mentioned that she and Jim met at Adam’s Mark Lounge, now Blake’s Lounge. It used to be the Sheraton in 1984. 

She recalled that Jim was looking at her the whole time she was there with her daughter.  

Jim was born on Jan 3, 1953 and turned 70 on January 3, 2023.  Jim had three children—Jonathan the eldest, David the youngest and daughter Anna Michelle. 

Jim Polk is also survived by his stepdaughter Kim and children Luke and Julia who fondly call him Grandpa Jim.

His dad, James K. Polk Sr was a big time civil rights activist in Charlotte and served as special assistant to Governor Martin. Jim has four sisters named Cindy, Camilla, Tammy and Altavia and a brother named Vincent. 

In her Facebook page that day on March 30 and onward after his passing, Lynn posted photos of flowers blooming at her own backyard which signaled spring, the season of hope. 

One of Jim’s nurses said she never saw someone ‘looking so peaceful in his sleep,’ Lynn recalled. I was in the Philippines when Lynn called and told me that her soulmate is afflicted with cancer. 

And like Jim’s favorite song ‘What A Wonderful World,’  Lynn and I can see ‘the colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky, are also on the faces of people going by.’ 

Goodbye Jim and rest easy, you are gone but not forgotten. Everytime Lynn celebrates life she is celebrating your life too. 

PS: Visitation in Jim’s wake will be at 11 am to 12 pm followed by a service at the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church at 232 Skyland Avenue, Charlotte, North Carolina.