Helena Nowak (Grzymski) passed away September 15 in the presence of her family.
She was born to Teofil and Marianna (Kmeic) in Turek, Poland on May 16, 1929.
Mom was just 10 years old when Germany invaded Poland and closed all the schools. Her older brothers were a part of the Polish Resistance during the war, disrupting the German supply lines.
Before her 14th birthday the Germans came to the family home looking for her brothers. Mom never knew where they were, so they took her as a prisoner to a forced labor camp in Germany by cattle car. After the war ended, mom and dad stayed in 3 different refugee camps, since the Russian closed all the borders and no Poles could get home.
Mom lost her first child (Leschek) in September 1945 while in the camps, Her second child Stanley was born in 1947 in a different camp, Their third child Sophia was born in 1949 in yet another camp. They obtained their Visas and immigrated to America in September of 1950, eventually settling in Kansas City Mo in the spring of 1951.A third child, Mary Jean joined the family in September 1956.
Mom's family survived the war but lived under Communistic rule and she never saw her parents again. She is preceded in death by her brothers, Stanley Grzymski, Joseph Grzymski, Andrew Grzymski, Roman Grzymski and her sister, Zofia Torczyk.
In 1997 after 54 years she returned to Poland and reunited with her remaining brothers and sister. She also met for the first time her sisters in law and her many nieces and nephews. She made 2 more trips after that, in 1999 and 2002. Each trip accompanied by a daughter, then her son and the last with her grandson.
Mom was an unskilled laborer for 17 years at a factory that manufactured luggage and the at a custom design drapery facilty. She officially retired at 60.
Her health was poor for the last 20 years of her life. Her only joy was her 3 children Stanley (Prescilla) Nowak, Sophia (Bill, deceased) Sachen, Mary Jean (Steven, deceased) Binder, 2 grandsons Christopher (Jamie) Nowak and Michael (Sophia) Binder and 8 great-grandchildren: Kitana Nowak, twins Emily and Anna Nowak, Kassidy Nowak and Jazzlyn Nowak, Rylan Binder, Dylan Binder and Gracelyn Helena Binder.
The family would like to thank Sharon Lane Rehabiltation for the compassionate care these last 3 months. and to Crossroads Hospice for easing her passing in her final hours.
There will be no service at this time, but a future memorial mass will be held in the near future.
She was born to Teofil and Marianna (Kmeic) in Turek, Poland on May 16, 1929.
Mom was just 10 years old when Germany invaded Poland and closed all the schools. Her older brothers were a part of the Polish Resistance during the war, disrupting the German supply lines.
Before her 14th birthday the Germans came to the family home looking for her brothers. Mom never knew where they were, so they took her as a prisoner to a forced labor camp in Germany by cattle car. After the war ended, mom and dad stayed in 3 different refugee camps, since the Russian closed all the borders and no Poles could get home.
Mom lost her first child (Leschek) in September 1945 while in the camps, Her second child Stanley was born in 1947 in a different camp, Their third child Sophia was born in 1949 in yet another camp. They obtained their Visas and immigrated to America in September of 1950, eventually settling in Kansas City Mo in the spring of 1951.A third child, Mary Jean joined the family in September 1956.
Mom's family survived the war but lived under Communistic rule and she never saw her parents again. She is preceded in death by her brothers, Stanley Grzymski, Joseph Grzymski, Andrew Grzymski, Roman Grzymski and her sister, Zofia Torczyk.
In 1997 after 54 years she returned to Poland and reunited with her remaining brothers and sister. She also met for the first time her sisters in law and her many nieces and nephews. She made 2 more trips after that, in 1999 and 2002. Each trip accompanied by a daughter, then her son and the last with her grandson.
Mom was an unskilled laborer for 17 years at a factory that manufactured luggage and the at a custom design drapery facilty. She officially retired at 60.
Her health was poor for the last 20 years of her life. Her only joy was her 3 children Stanley (Prescilla) Nowak, Sophia (Bill, deceased) Sachen, Mary Jean (Steven, deceased) Binder, 2 grandsons Christopher (Jamie) Nowak and Michael (Sophia) Binder and 8 great-grandchildren: Kitana Nowak, twins Emily and Anna Nowak, Kassidy Nowak and Jazzlyn Nowak, Rylan Binder, Dylan Binder and Gracelyn Helena Binder.
The family would like to thank Sharon Lane Rehabiltation for the compassionate care these last 3 months. and to Crossroads Hospice for easing her passing in her final hours.
There will be no service at this time, but a future memorial mass will be held in the near future.
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