Thalia Poleway Zervas of Milton passed away April 16, 2019, at age 85, after a six year battle with dementia. An active volunteer throughout her life, Thalia was a passionate supporter of women's rights, education and democratic politics. Born in Brockton to Elizabeth and Louis Poleway, she attended Brockton High School. A talented student, Thalia's poem was published in a 1949 anthology of the National High School Poetry Association:

A YOUNG GIRL'S PRAYER

When my heart is sick and my mind's a blur,

After a quarrel with Mom or after a chat with her,

When the world seems wrong, then I find I'm mistaken,

With a hopeful eye I look for a haven.

When the lad of my life forgets to call --

O, what a feeling! I'm the outcast doll!

But the bad turns worse when the teachers proclaim --

"You don't know? You don't care! -- You think school is a game!"

When my heart is sick and my mind's a blur,

Why can't things be smooth -- perhaps like fur?

Dear Lord, although my puzzles to you are mere trifles

Please lead me away from the teen-age cycles.

After earning an AB degree at Radcliffe College, Thalia worked in San Francisco for station KCBS, where she served as a transcriber for Eric Sevareid during the 1956 GOP Eisenhower convention. This was the start of a life-long love of politics, that included active roles in the gubernatorial campaigns of Michael Dukakis and chairing his 1982 inauguration. She also campaigned for Dukakis during his presidential run and attended the 1988 Democratic convention in Atlanta.

Thalia married Nicholas T. Zervas, M.D.,in 1959, and after living in Paris and Philadelphia, they returned to the Boston area, settling in Milton. While raising three children, Thalia invested her time and talents as a volunteer for numerous organizations. She was active on the Milton Academy Parents' Association, earning the title of chair. In 1984, she was named to the Board of Directors of Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, eventually receiving their Campbell-Faulkner Award for extraordinary volunteerism. Thalia also served on the board of Trustees at the University of Massachusetts, chairing the committee on academic and student affairs to promote academic standards at all five campuses. In recognition of her contributions at U Mass, she was awarded an Honorary Degree. She also served as a volunteer of many Greek organizations including Anatolia College in Greece, Hellenic College in Brookline, and College Year in Athens.

In addition to her husband of 60 years, Thalia is survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Angelica and Joseph Papke of Omaha, and her children T. Nicholas Zervas of Cambridge, Christopher Zervas of Brookline and Rhea Brubaker, her son-in-law, Tod Brubaker and her granddaughters, Lucy and Nora Brubaker of Cambridge, and numerous family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, in honor of Thalia's long tenure as a board member, at pplm.org/donate or by check to 1055 Commonwealth Ave., Boston 02215.

A Memorial celebration of Thalia's life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 18 at Symphony Hall Boston.