Donald Miles Polakoff

Donald Miles Polakoff, 91, passed away May 2, 2025 at Ashford Place Health Campus in Shelbyville.

He was born Dec. 7, 1933 in Shelbyville. He married Jackie Lou Hawkins on March 8, 1958 in Skokie, Ill. They were married for 59 years until her death in 2017.

In addition to Jackie, he was preceded in death by his father, M.H. Polakoff, mother Helen (Behrendt), sisters Betty Hirsh and Marilyn Polakoff.

Survivors include daughters, Jennifer McNally and husband, Tom, of Shelbyville, and Susan Polakoff Shaw and husband, Bud, of Cleveland, Ohio; and grandchildren, Molly Shaw Wachtman and husband Jacob, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Ryan Shaw and wife Melanie, of East Lansing, Michigan and five great-grandchildren, nieces Kathy Hirsh and husband Barry of Chicago and Diane Muth Thompson and husband Keith of Anna Maria Island, Florida.

He graduated from Shelbyville High School in 1952 and Indiana University School of Business in 1956. After IU, he served in the U.S. Army then worked for the Army CIC (Counter Intelligence Corps) in Chicago. Returning to Shelbyville to help run the family business, he became plant manager of the Shelby Manufacturing Company, a garment factory, in the1960s. He later joined Indiana Manufactures Association in Indianapolis as a senior vice president, where he worked until he retired.

He had a soft spot for dogs, bourbon and western films.

He could recite every line from the film, “Young Frankenstein.” He was a comedy fan, but his favorite movie was “Shane,” a classic western he subjected his family to mandatory viewing dozens of times.

He and Jackie hosted countless parties in their Prescott Road home, including Halloween costume parties, New Year’s Eve and Super Bowl parties, often with live music featuring local musicians. They hosted weddings, graduations and birthday parties. Every Sunday they hosted pool parties and pitch-in dinners. Every Sunday.

A master joke and story teller who had perfect comedic timing, Don was the life of the party, a role he cherished. The funniest stories were the ones he told on himself, however, which often involved trying in vain to find a restaurant’s restroom, only to end up in the kitchen, asking for directions; tripping over furniture or his own feet Dick Van Dyke style; or getting his nose caught on a fish hook. He also cherished control of the remote, the grill and his riding lawn mower.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Jackie and Donald were volunteers with Youth for Understanding, serving as Area Representatives. They matched high school foreign exchange students with central Indiana families. They personally hosted six exchange students and still kept in touch with “sons” Matthias, Juan, Maximo and Karri and their families—-many of whom returned to visit multiple times with their own young families.

Don was a fan of the Indianapolis Colts and IU basketball. One of his prized possessions was a personally autographed basketball from IU coach Bob Knight.

Following his wishes, no services will be held.

The family would like to thank the caring staff at Ashford Place and Our Hospice of South Central Indiana.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made through contributions to the Shelby County Public Library and Our Hospice of South Central Indiana.

Services have been entrusted to Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, 819 S. Harrison St., Shelbyville, IN.