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Thankfully Elizabeth was born at home. Doctor Joe delivered her and when he told Irene she had a girl; Grandma Irene told him not to tease her after she had so many boys. Grandma was pleased when the little girl was placed in her arms. Elizabeth was named after a dream Grandma Irene had. Betty attended kindergarten twice, not because of intelligence; but because the Sister at Saint James thought it would give Grandma Irene some free time. Betty attended Good Counsel High School where she encountered a typing teacher named Sister Angeline. Sister Angeline constantly called Elizabeth by the name of Theresa. Betty would refuse to answer Sister Angeline, even though her best friend Pat would beg her. Elizabeth Louise was the first Gniech to attend college. Elizabeth married Raymond Kolinski.
My earliest memory was a traumatic one, it is very vivid in my mind, even today. I was about two years old, Daddy had his Upholstery store and we lived in the back apartment. In the front of the apartment nearest the store, there was a large bedroom that I shared with Mom and Dad. I remember that my grandma Anna was at the house and Mama was sick, there were a lot of firemen there. Mama had this big red tank on her stomach and a mask on her face. I did not understand it at the time, but Mama had a heart attack. Daddy came in the house, Grandma told him that something happened to my brother Clarance and she said that Mama got sick. It was during World War II and Clarance was in the Army, what caused Mom illness was that word was received that Clarance was missing in action.
My first hobby was making mud pies (at a very early age I might add). I began dance lessons when I was about seven years old. I took ballet, tap and toe; I continued my dance until I was sixteen years old. I enjoyed being in stage shows and waring pretty costumes. I also was in stage shows at the grade school I attended. When I was about nine or ten, my brother Donald came to pick me up from by dance lesson at Reise Park, he had a little accident with his car while he was waiting for me, nothing much, but you would have thought his car was totaled the way he tells it. He also brings up the fact every so often, that I stole his birthday, you see my birthday is January 10th and Donald's is January 13th so he is no longer the first birthday of the year.
I was not interest in participating in sports, but enjoyed going to the basketball games at my high school, sometimes my Dad would go with me, and my two best friends, Pat and Barbara. I became interested in sports after I was married had to too survive; you see my husband Ray and I bought a television that was only a sports television. So I began watching baseball, hockey and football. Now football I can't understand to save my soul.
With a large family, Mom was always busy, she used to do cross stitching and embroidery work on pillow cases and handkerchiefs. Dad enjoyed his garden. I remember whipping off a home grown tomato in my shirt, and Dad used to have this tiny salt shaker in his shirt pocket, the shaker was about the size of a thimble. We would moisten the tomato with our tongue and put some salt on the tomato and eat it, boy that was good!!! Dad also had flowers in the garden, his favorite was the Marigold and he also had lots of Zanies and Asters; he said, Asters were his mothers favorite flower.
Mom did a lot of cooking and baking. Every Sunday, for dinner we would have home made chicken soup and roasted chicken and the trimmings. I remember that Mom had quite a system of making lunches for all of us. We had a big wood table in the kitchen. She would lay out a line of bread down half the table, spread each piece of bread with I think it was called Oleo or something like that, put on lunch meat, put the top piece of bread on, and then she would tear off a stack of was paper and began wrapping the sandwiches, brown bagging them and off my brothers would go. Quite a little piece worker I would say. Mom had to stretch the budget, so you could say she had a degree in home management.
About that kitchen table, you have heard of graduated measures, well you graduated around that table. What I remember is that Dad's place was at the head of the table and Mom sat directly across from him. All of us sat around the sides. Starting with the younger set, my brother Charles sat a Dad's left hand then me and then my brother George, the three of us sat on a long bench seat that Dad had padded and upholstered in this light green leather, and it set on top of the radiator. Let me tell you it was not bad setting on this bench, but in the winter when the heat was on, I can't tell you how many times I burnt the back of my legs. But I digress. On the other side of the table to Dad's right was my brother John, we called him Junior, then my brother Donald and then my brother Robert. The graduated measure was that when one got married and left the fold, the next oldest moved up of the bench to a chair.
Another graduated measure system we had was washing the dishes and drying them, when the oldest started working, the chore was then passed down, the washer became the dryer and the next youngest became the dish washer, and there was a lot of dishes, pots and pans.
You know when I wrote before about the graduated measures, it also worked on house cleaning. George and I would trade of on washing the kitchen floor and bathroom, Yeah right! every time it came my turn to do the bathroom, I would say "if you do the bathroom for me, I will clean it for you when it's your turn to clean" you know, I don't every remember cleaning that bathroom.
Another great memory I have is of the rocking chair that was in the hallway just of the kitchen. My younger brother George and I use to sit on Dad's lap, he would rock and the three of us would sing while Mom was making dinner, that old rocker got a lot of mileage on it.
The kitchen was the gathering room in the house, and the biggest room I think. At the holidays the kitchen was filled with good smells, Mom baking throughout the night and Dad putting up the Christmas tree in the living room, and putting the toys together, ( I did not know that then of course). The older brother where very good about not spoiling the myth of Santa Clause, for us young kids. Then Christmas morning came, it was wonderful and everything was wonderful, we would wake Dad up, who just got to bed, and we would show both Mom and Dad what Santa brought.
The holidays hold a lot of memories for me. Thanksgiving is special because my oldest brother Clarence for the last five years or so of his life, came to spend them with Mom, Dad, Ray and me and the rest of the family. Clarence lived in Oklahoma.
Easter was my brother John Jr's day to spend with us also. Since his death in 1976 we have been going to my bother George's and his family to spend Easter.
Christmas! Now Christmas was Dad's favorite holiday. The week before Christmas, Mom and I would bake cookies, that became my holiday tridition after I was married. I remember Dad sitting at the kitchen table watching us and when the cookies were cooled, Dad would say"any samples" and he would be our official tester. After Dad died in 1982, it took me about six years before I could bake cookies at Christmas time. I missed my official cookie tester.
At Easter and Christmas I bake the same yeast coffee cake and home made bread that Mom made, and the homemade Polish sausage that Dad used to make, And I might add, it taste just like they used to make it.
Ray, the love of my life, We meet through my best friend, Pat Repvon, she was engaged to Norm Flintz, who is Ray's cousin. Pat set up this blind date, but it was only blind on one side, you see, Ray wanted to see a picture of me. he did not trust"she has a great personality". So on February 6, 1960 we had our first date (double date) Pat and Norm went along. We went bowling and afterwards went to this pizza place called Welcome Inn. Two weeks later he called for a second date, we went to see a show, again, Pat and Norm went along. Then finally on our third date, their we were "alone". On our forth date Ray said he was going to merry me. And on July 8th he gave me an engagement ring, asked by Dad for my hand, and Mom and Dad gave us their blessing.
Our Wedding day was perfect, naturally, it was Saturday, January 14, 1961. It was a nice winter day, windy and chilly but no snow. We were married at St. James Church where I attended grade school.
The day started with a house full, our wedding attendants, photographer and Ray was outside with his ushers, decorating the cars, at the time I did not know that he was their, his brother Art who was our Best man drove Ray to the church, and Ray said on the radio the song "Get me to the Church on time" was playing. Donald drove Dad and I to the church. There was a lot of people at church, many of my school friends and neighbors, we lived in the parish for 19 years.
After everyone was ushered to their sits, and Mom was ushered to her sit, the wedding music started. My bridesmaids walked down the isle, my made of honor and then the flower girl and the ring barer. Then the big moment, Dad took my arm held my hand and smiled at me, we were both holding back the tears. There at the front of the church was Ray waiting for me with a smile on his face, (I have a picture to prove it) Dad lifted my veil, kissed me, put my hand in Ray's hand and said "take good care of my little girl".
Dad and Mom gave us a wedding breakfest at Rose's Launge which was near the church. The food was good and everyone had a great time.
Our Wedding receiption was held at the Central Park Hall. All of the family was there, Clarence with my sister-in-law Rachel. Robert with my sister-in-law Joan, their children, David and Kathleen. Donald with my sister-in-law Lolita (my maid of honor) their daughter Donna (our flower girl). Charles with my sister-in-law Joann, and their daughter Deborah and my youngest brother George, and his girl friend.
Some stories about the family? Clarence never said to much about the past, he went off to the war, I was a baby at that time, he came home on a leave, I have a picture of him holding me in his arms, he was good looking in his Army uniform. He used to call me Sunshine and I was told he used to sing me to sleep singing the song, You Are My Sunshine. The first time I remember seeing him when I was older and he came home to visit, we would talk about things, he didn't say to much about the past, but he told me that he enjoyed growing up having the younger kids around and helping out. I liked the idea of coming from a large family, there is a lot to be said, your never lonely, although I am sure my older brothers probably wish they had more space.
I was also quite young when Robert "Bob" was home, I remember when he was going to his Senior class prom, he was so good looking in that tuxedo with that white jacket (have a picture of him too). I remember the day that he and Joan were married, and the party afterwards.
Donald (Don) often talks about the depression time, how bad it was and having to do without things. I wasn't around at that time, but if I could, I would have been happy to take all those bad feeling on myself, and he could have experienced the good feeling that I have about growing up. The only bad part about that would be that I would have to be older then I am. I remember that Don was very skinny, and he always had kind of a smile that was off to one side of his mouth. He would want you to think he was a tuff guy, but he is really a pussycat, and would be their for you, (look at the car I caused him to total).
My brother John "JR", he was as smart as a whip, he could spell any work you would give him, and knew about places all over the world that he read about, he enjoyed reading books. He was a gentle person, and he could be hurt easily. The old say "only the Good Die Young" is true, he was only 41 years old when he died.
My brother Charles "Charlie", I remember he got hit by a car, running across Fullerton Avenue because a kid was hitting me. I was very protected by all my brothers, but Charlie went the extra yard. There was this boy in grade school, Jerry Mazurick, Charlie was a crossing guard at the time and Jerry would carry my books, corny Ha! well, it was nice, but my books spend more time on the ground then in Jerry arms, because every time Charlie would see him, Jerry would through my books in the air and run like hell.
Last, but not least, George. I guess that was my second first memory, I was three, and Mom and Dad brought George home from the hospital. Grandma Anne was taking care of us while Mom was in the hospital having my new brother. Everyone was so excited, I wanted to see what the excitement was about, Mom tells me all I said after I saw George in his crib was "that's it" and turned around and walked away. But not for long, I used to play a lot with George when he was in his crib. I lost a lot of hair under that crib getting it caught in the springs, and Mom had to cut my hair to free me.
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