CONGRATULATIONS ON SONIA BABLO KOZLOWSKI'S 100TH BIRTHDAY
WHEREAS, Sonia Bablo Kozlowski, surrounded by family and friends, celebrated the joyful occasion of her 100th on September 14, 2018; and
WHEREAS, It is with great pleasure that the City Council of the City of Chicago is hereby informed of this special occasion by the Honorable Margaret Laurino, Alderman of the 39th Ward; and
WHEREAS, Sonia was the second child of the late Katherine (Stanczyk) and late Joseph Bablo who came to Chicago as young adults from a tiny village south central Poland; and, her siblings were Lolly, Chester and Elynore; and
WHEREAS, Sonia lived on Wellington Avenue next door to her best friend Lucille Herre. When Chicago decided to build the Kennedy Expressway, her parents had to sell their home and Sonia's beloved block and neighborhood were leveled. The Bablos bought a two—flat in the Belmont-Cragin neighborhood of Chicago. Sonia was able to keep a lifelong friendship with Lucille and traveled to Florida to celebrate Lucille's 90th birthday with her; and
WHEREAS, Sonia graduated from Carl Schurz High School, worked in the office at Appleton Electric, learned how to sew, loved to draw, studied Polish at night, played bridge, took cooking classes at Francoise Pope and went to work on North Michigan Avenue for Alcoa; and
WHEREAS, Sonia met her husband Leo at the wedding of his brother Ed to Charlotte. Leo's parents knew Sonia's; they came from a neighboring tiny village in Poland. Leo and Sonia married on August 16th 1942. A month later, Leo was drafted and Sonia followed him to Syracuse, NY, and then to Coral Gables, FL, until he was shipped overseas to serve I the Pacific in WWII; and
WHEREAS, Leo was a watchmaker, and for most of his career, had a shop in the Pittsfield Building in downtown Chicago. Sonia worked alongside her husband for many years, running the office when they became the Midwest service center for Pulsar Watch Corp. Prior to that she worked for Zenith Radio; and
WHEREAS, Sonia and Leo were blessed with three children, Barbara (George), Kay (Marty) and Lee (Rita), and three grandchildren, Violetta, Sylvia and Michael. In 1957, the Kozlowski's moved from Chicago to Norridge and became members of St. Eugene Parish; and
WHEREAS, Sonia tended her garden, honed her sewing skills, joined the Haute Couture Club of Chicago where her and Leo took pleasure playing bridge. Sonia enjoyed watching sports, particularly her beloved Cubs; and
WHEREAS, Leo and Sonia enjoyed retirement until Leo's death in 2004. Sonia moved to newly-built Villa St. Benedict in 2005 where she is affectionately known as the Wii bowling queen; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the ^gdfjq^j^gmbers of the City Council of the City of Chicago, gathered here this thirty-first da^60Oe(bl^),|20;f8, do hereby congratulate Sonia Balbo Kozlowski on her 100th birthday and extend.qur very best wishes for many more birthdays.
61 :£ Wd 92 130 81
Q3AI3C
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be prepared and presented to Sonia Balbo Kozlowski to commemorate this wonderful milestone in her life.
MARGARET LAURINO Alderman, 39th Ward