Polly Barber died peacefully at her home in St. Mary's City, MD on July 29th having just turned 91. Polly was a long time resident of St. Mary's County born in Leonardtown in 1924 to Mary Combs Burch and Philip Ford Combs. She graduated from Great Mills High School in 1942 and then St. Mary's Female Seminary, now St. Mary's College of Maryland.

She met her husband Emory, who predeceased her, in Yugoslavia where both were working for the State Department following WWII. After working and traveling in Europe they returned to the US to raise their family and in 1959 permanently returned to the County. During their 47 years of marriage Polly and Emory took great joy in traveling and entertaining and were known as gracious hosts. They lived in 2 historic homes in St. Mary's County, Porto Bello and Deep Falls where they often welcomed family, friends and county residents.

In 1972 she became the first Director of the St. Mary's City Commission, now known as Historic St. Mary's City. During her tenure the boundaries of the historic park were established, the archaeological research program begun, and a replica of the Dove, one of the first 2 European ships to arrive in the colony of Maryland, was designed, funded and built at what is now the Richardson Shipyard in Cambridge, MD.

After leaving the Commission, from 1982 to 1985 she directed the commemorative events surrounding the 350th birthday party for the state of Maryland which featured events in all Maryland's counties and culminated in a luncheon for the Duke and Duchess of Kent on the lawn of the replicated State House in St. Mary's City and a celebration with fireworks in the then new Inner Harbor in Baltimore where a number of tall ships joined the Maryland Dove. In 2000, she received the Cross Bottony Award for her service to Historic St. Mary's City.

Polly was an Episcopalian and a dedicated and committed member of the vestries of St. George's and Christ Church in Valley Lee and Chaptico, MD respectively. She also was President of the St. Mary's County Historical Society, Secretary of the Ark and Dove Society, actively engaged with developing and strengthening library services, an active member of the Colonial Dames of Southern Maryland, and involved in many other community projects.

Survivors include her 4 sisters (Suzanne Poe of St. George Island, MD, Corinne Furst of Doylestown, PA, Phyllis Daniels of Pawley's Island, SC, and Margaret Steffen of Easton, MD), 4 children (Mary Barber of Washington, DC, Philip Barber of McLean, VA, Elizabeth Clark of St. Mary's City, MD, and James Barber of Bethesda, MD), 7 grandchildren (Marieke von Kann, Kathryn von Kann, Harry von Kann, Kyle Barber, Elizabeth Sutphin, Olivia Barber, and Luke Barber), one great grandchild, Stuart Sutphin, and many nieces and nephews.

She was much loved by her family and friends.

The funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., August 7, 2015 at St. George's Episcopal Church, 19167 Poplar Hill Lane, Valley Lee, MD 20692. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. A funeral lunch will be held at Polly Barber's home following the interment. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD.