EULOGY
Thank you for being with me today to honor the memory of my departed Mother, as I fulfill her instruction and desire to have her ashes reposed in the sea. First, I want to tell you a little about my Mom's life. Mom was born on November 20, 1955. Yesterday would have been her 54th birthday. Mom was born in the town of Zgierz in central Poland. Poland had been devastated by the Second World War, which ended just a few short years before Mom's birth. Poland was then firmly in the repressive iron grip of Communist Russia. Mom was born in a place and at at time characterized by hopelessness and lack of individual freedom - a place and a time in which conformity to the will of the Communist masters was required, while individuality and independent thought were suppressed and punished.
Nonetheless, as a result of the example, guidance and tutelage of her parents, Mom never accepted hopelessness as her destiny, or mindless conformity to the collective will as an immutable reality of life.
Quite to the contrary, Mom emerged from childhood with an independent, freedom loving spirit. She had the conviction that she could overcome the limitations and repressiveness of her environment. From an early age, Mom concluded and believed that perseverance and hard work could bring about the freedom her nature craved. Perseverance and hard work could bring about the achievement which the repressiveness of Communism denied her. From an early age, Mom dedicated herself to improving the circumstances in which she found herself, by diligently pursuing every possible opportunity, especially concerning her education. Always striving to make the most of her potential, Mom earned a degree in journalism at the University of Lodz, a major institution of learning in Poland.
She distinguished herself to such an extent that in 1976, she was selected by a Polish newspaper to travel to Canada to cover the Summer Olympics in Montreal. While on that assignment, Mom was encouraged by her family in Poland to travel as well to the United Sates. Once Mom entered the united States she was afforded the opportunity to remain there rather than return to Communist Poland, and she did so with the enthusiastic encouragement of her family in Poland. In 1976, at the young age of 21 — younger than I am now —with considerable courage and great hope, but with no guaranties — Mom made the difficult decision to begin a new life, in a new and unknown land, where she hoped her craving for freedom might be fulfilled. Twenty years later, when Mom was interviewed by a newspaper, she was asked about how she felt then. Here is a quote from an article in the Beacon, published in 1996. Mom said: "Finally, the word 'freedom' meant something to me. I felt it the first day." In 1990 Mom officially obtained the freedom most of us take for granted when she became a Naturalized Citizen of the United States of America.
Starting a new life in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar customs and societal norms, and not having English language fluency, was not easy. But Mom was determined to overcome the difficulties of her circumstances through perseverance, hard work, and self improvement through education. In 1978, Mom secured steady employment as a factory worker at the Beecham Company in Clifton New Jersey. At Beecham she packaged AquaFresh toothpaste on an assembly line. Her hard work and never ending thirst to learn as much as she could, at every opportunity, was valuable to her employer. Slowly but steadily her ever increasing value to the Beecham Company was affirmed by a series of promotions to higher levels or responsibility and authority. Eventually the Beecham Company promoted Mom to the key management position of Purchasing Manager. As Beecham's Purchasing Manager, Mom was in charge of all purchasing, planning, and scheduling of raw materials for the Beecham Company's manufacturing operations.
Although Mom advanced from Assembly line worker to Purchasing Manager, her thirst for education and knowledge had not diminished. Determined to maximize her contribution to the company, she pursed formal education in the field of Business Management. The value to the company of Mom's hard work and initiative was recognized and affirmed. Her employer reimbursed the full tuition and all costs of her Business Management degree. It should also be noted that going to school for yet another degree was no easy task for Mom. That required extraordinary effort and determination. She was working at the Beecham Company full time, every day, in a highly responsible position. She attended Bloomfield College at night, and studied round the clock on weekends. What's more, she didn't settle for just squeaking through. She finished at the very top of her class! On May 25, 1996, Mom received a degree in Business Management, and as the Class Valedictorian, Mom gave the 123rd Commencement Address to the Bloomfield College graduation class of 1996. In her Valedictory Address Mom said: "I believe Henry Ford when he said 'Anyone who stops learning is old, whether 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.' "
After the Beecham Company was purchased by the pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, Mom's talent, initiative, work ethic and determination to overcome obstacles was also recognized and affirmed by GlaxoSmithKline. Wishing to capitalize on Mom's value to the company, GlaxoSmithKline offered Mom a promotion the the executive position of Materials Manager. In that position Mom would head a large team of people responsible for the procurement and logistical management of the extensive raw materials needed for manufacturing throughout the GlaxoSmithKline organization. That executive position was located in the GlaxoSmithKline headquarters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1999, Mom accepted that position and relocated to Berlin, New Jersey.
After several years of successful achievements at GlaxoSmithKline, Mom's superior work was favorably noticed by other companies. The CHEP Company, an international manufacturing conglomerate, having its United States headquarters in Orlando, Florida, offered Mom an executive position, which afforded her the opportunity of extensive international travel. Mom's love of learning included a desire for experiencing foreign places and other cultures first hand. Mom believed that foreign travel could broaden and enhance one's thinking, point of view, and understanding. In 2005, Mom accepted that position and was relocated by the CHEP Company to Orlando, Florida. In that position Mom visited, worked with, and learned form many people, in many divers places, not only in North America, but also in South America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
Mom's passion for education, hard work, and constant striving to overcome obstacles was always present. She often told me that in the freedom of the United States, everyone can still achieve and succeed. She often said that if someone puts his heart into it, goals will be achieved. By her guidance and example, Mom inspired me to never give up. She always encouraged me to pursue my educational and professional goals. She supported my choice of studying at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and helped me achieve a Bachelor of "'Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design.
Her life and her memory will always continue guide and inspire me.
Quite to the contrary, Mom emerged from childhood with an independent, freedom loving spirit. She had the conviction that she could overcome the limitations and repressiveness of her environment. From an early age, Mom concluded and believed that perseverance and hard work could bring about the freedom her nature craved. Perseverance and hard work could bring about the achievement which the repressiveness of Communism denied her. From an early age, Mom dedicated herself to improving the circumstances in which she found herself, by diligently pursuing every possible opportunity, especially concerning her education. Always striving to make the most of her potential, Mom earned a degree in journalism at the University of Lodz, a major institution of learning in Poland.
She distinguished herself to such an extent that in 1976, she was selected by a Polish newspaper to travel to Canada to cover the Summer Olympics in Montreal. While on that assignment, Mom was encouraged by her family in Poland to travel as well to the United Sates. Once Mom entered the united States she was afforded the opportunity to remain there rather than return to Communist Poland, and she did so with the enthusiastic encouragement of her family in Poland. In 1976, at the young age of 21 — younger than I am now —with considerable courage and great hope, but with no guaranties — Mom made the difficult decision to begin a new life, in a new and unknown land, where she hoped her craving for freedom might be fulfilled. Twenty years later, when Mom was interviewed by a newspaper, she was asked about how she felt then. Here is a quote from an article in the Beacon, published in 1996. Mom said: "Finally, the word 'freedom' meant something to me. I felt it the first day." In 1990 Mom officially obtained the freedom most of us take for granted when she became a Naturalized Citizen of the United States of America.
Starting a new life in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar customs and societal norms, and not having English language fluency, was not easy. But Mom was determined to overcome the difficulties of her circumstances through perseverance, hard work, and self improvement through education. In 1978, Mom secured steady employment as a factory worker at the Beecham Company in Clifton New Jersey. At Beecham she packaged AquaFresh toothpaste on an assembly line. Her hard work and never ending thirst to learn as much as she could, at every opportunity, was valuable to her employer. Slowly but steadily her ever increasing value to the Beecham Company was affirmed by a series of promotions to higher levels or responsibility and authority. Eventually the Beecham Company promoted Mom to the key management position of Purchasing Manager. As Beecham's Purchasing Manager, Mom was in charge of all purchasing, planning, and scheduling of raw materials for the Beecham Company's manufacturing operations.
Although Mom advanced from Assembly line worker to Purchasing Manager, her thirst for education and knowledge had not diminished. Determined to maximize her contribution to the company, she pursed formal education in the field of Business Management. The value to the company of Mom's hard work and initiative was recognized and affirmed. Her employer reimbursed the full tuition and all costs of her Business Management degree. It should also be noted that going to school for yet another degree was no easy task for Mom. That required extraordinary effort and determination. She was working at the Beecham Company full time, every day, in a highly responsible position. She attended Bloomfield College at night, and studied round the clock on weekends. What's more, she didn't settle for just squeaking through. She finished at the very top of her class! On May 25, 1996, Mom received a degree in Business Management, and as the Class Valedictorian, Mom gave the 123rd Commencement Address to the Bloomfield College graduation class of 1996. In her Valedictory Address Mom said: "I believe Henry Ford when he said 'Anyone who stops learning is old, whether 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.' "
After the Beecham Company was purchased by the pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, Mom's talent, initiative, work ethic and determination to overcome obstacles was also recognized and affirmed by GlaxoSmithKline. Wishing to capitalize on Mom's value to the company, GlaxoSmithKline offered Mom a promotion the the executive position of Materials Manager. In that position Mom would head a large team of people responsible for the procurement and logistical management of the extensive raw materials needed for manufacturing throughout the GlaxoSmithKline organization. That executive position was located in the GlaxoSmithKline headquarters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1999, Mom accepted that position and relocated to Berlin, New Jersey.
After several years of successful achievements at GlaxoSmithKline, Mom's superior work was favorably noticed by other companies. The CHEP Company, an international manufacturing conglomerate, having its United States headquarters in Orlando, Florida, offered Mom an executive position, which afforded her the opportunity of extensive international travel. Mom's love of learning included a desire for experiencing foreign places and other cultures first hand. Mom believed that foreign travel could broaden and enhance one's thinking, point of view, and understanding. In 2005, Mom accepted that position and was relocated by the CHEP Company to Orlando, Florida. In that position Mom visited, worked with, and learned form many people, in many divers places, not only in North America, but also in South America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
Mom's passion for education, hard work, and constant striving to overcome obstacles was always present. She often told me that in the freedom of the United States, everyone can still achieve and succeed. She often said that if someone puts his heart into it, goals will be achieved. By her guidance and example, Mom inspired me to never give up. She always encouraged me to pursue my educational and professional goals. She supported my choice of studying at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and helped me achieve a Bachelor of "'Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design.
Her life and her memory will always continue guide and inspire me.
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