Mary Hamlen ’90

Mary C. “Polly” Hamlen, 56, of Medford, MA, died December 3, 2023, in hospice care for ovarian cancer.  She had extraordinarily broad interests and lived her relatively short life to the fullest. 

As a child, Polly spent summers with family and friends in Jaffrey, NH and Wainscott, Long Island, where she loved exploring the forests, meadows, mountains, and ocean. 

She learned to skipper 30’ Sabre sailboats and sailed joyfully whenever she could. Before college, she played tennis and water sports; during college, she was a member of the varsity soccer team; and after college she played ice hockey and softball on mixed-gender teams. She cheered on women’s hockey players, the New England Patriots, and the Boston Red Sox. When the Red Sox finally won the World Series, she was ecstatic.

Polly earned a B.A. in Comparative Religion from Carleton College in Northfield, MN (1986-1990); a Master of Divinity from the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA (1998-2002); and a Master of Ecumenical Studies from the Bossey Ecumenical Institute in Geneva, Switzerland (2002-2004). She advanced ecumenical and interfaith relationships in her local communities and around the globe.

Professionally, Polly worked as a writer, researcher, administrator, program manager, certified mediator, event planner, and ecumenist. She was a senior research associate for the Harvard Pluralism Project, which studies religious diversity in America, and was a senior event planner for the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School. She contributed biographies of women religious leaders for the Women in Religion Wiki Project.

Although her style was low-key, Polly was fearless, and a staunch ally to and activist on behalf of marginalized individuals and communities. In the many organizations she served, she consistently encouraged wider circles of inclusion. She was a thoughtful problem-solver and a kind, compassionate, loyal friend to people around the world. 

Polly generously invested her time, expertise, and passion for human dignity and justice in a wide range of volunteer endeavors. She served in local Christian congregations, Habitat for Humanity, the Department of Indian Works, the World Council of Churches, Cooperative Metropolitan Ministries, the Ecumenical & Inter-religious Task Force of the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ, the Massachusetts Council of Churches, Oikocredit USA, the National Council of Churches of Christ, the Parliament of the World’s Religions, a Prison Book Program, the American Academy of Religion and the Society for Biblical Literature, the Kenyan Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians, and the University of Divinity, Australia. 

Polly loved playing games and puzzles, dancing to Irish and Reggae music, and singing folk songs, spiritual music, and Old Scottish tunes. She encouraged others to grow into their best selves. 

Polly was the middle child of Richard K. Hamlen, Jr., and Bard R. Hamlen, both of whom preceded her in death. She is survived by her sister Sara of West Roxbury, MA, her brother Peter (Rachel Schwartz) of London, England, and countless people who know that love does not die. 

A hybrid (in-person and live-streamed) celebration of life is scheduled at 11 a.m. EST on January 13, 2024, at First Church Somerville UCC, 89 College Ave., Somerville, MA 02144. 617-625-6485. firstchurchsomerville.org. In lieu of flowers, donations in Polly’s memory may be made to that church or to a charity of your choice. 

Zoom link and password for Polly Hamlen’s celebration of life service, January 13, 2024, 11 a.m. EST

Zoom link: https://firstchurchsomerville.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=fe0aa478e165ce7bd50036278&id=cf239dfaa4&e=b85d3e5095

(https://firstchurchsomerville.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=fe0aa478e165ce7bd50036278&id=b6707e1a40&e=b85d3e5095
T6Q-3D)
Password: 895932