Lottie
In 1976 I arrived in Chicago from communist Poland. It was so hard getting out. I had tried for seven years and I had helped other people come before me, so I knew everything I needed to do. I had planned to come to America because my husband was sick. I was maybe 23 years old and already married. I thought I could make good money and then go back home.
From downtown Chicago, I made my way to a Polish employment agency on Milwaukee Avenue. I went in and said, “Ma'am, I need a place to stay and a job.” Right away, I went to work for Mr. Webster, a Jewish guy from Czechoslovakia. He had asked for Polish people to come work at a brand new, beautiful nursing home he had built on 14th Street in Waukegan.
I was given a bucket and mop. He showed me how to use it, but I came from a city where almost everyone has a farm. Me and my two sisters worked the land. There was no boy at home. I knew how to work.
Three days later they put me in the kitchen. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Five Polish ladies in the kitchen, all day. Later that year (1976), I sent for Mama. She worked as a janitor on the second floor of the nursing home.
My first day working, I hear someone speaking Polish. I remember very well this woman: no more than 50 years old, beautiful hair, makeup, super-elegant American woman. She asked my name and I told her: Wadyslawa. "Okay, you'll be Lottie," she said. Her name was Irene. We've been friends ever since, and I've been Lottie ever since. Irene had three kids and adopted a fourth. Now, all the time I know and talk with her grandchildren, and I go every week to the cemetery to visit my Irene.
How long did you end up working in the nursing home?
Six years. Mama had gone back home after five years when daddy was sick, and I went back to Poland when he passed away in 1981.
I still had my husband there, who also had problems with his health. He worked for a shoe factory. I could buy the shoes from his factory here in America, but not in Poland. The only thing in Poland at that time was oil and vinegar. Oil and vinegar, oil and vinegar. We traveled to other countries to go shopping. Germany, Czechoslovakia... we had nothing in Poland. My husband passed away in 1987.
I had a good job, but I could see my position was not important. My mom had lived here, and she knew how my life was with my friends. I had experienced so many different things; traveling with my friend Irene and a church group all over America. I've been to every state I think, except for Alaska.
I moved back to America in 1990. For years, Mama would come to stay with me for months at a time and travel with me and Irene and the church group.
Through someone Irene knew from church, I got a job working for Federal Die Casting Company, here in North Chicago. Big company. 150 people and mostly men. I loved it. I was working hard. Remember, I worked on a farm. [Lottie raises her right arm and flexes a taut bicep] I worked there for 17 years. And now I'm good with Spanish! [Lottie rattles off a number Polish-accented Spanish curse words]
Anyone who speaks more than three languages is called a polyglot.
Polish, Russian, German, Spanish and English. Oh, and a little bit Greek!
But back to the die casting company.
Yes. It was 110, 120 degrees Fahrenheit in there, every day, 24 hours, because the oven is on and never goes off. I learned everything. Punching, tapping, the lift truck... First they made me inspector. Never was there a lady in that position. Never.
The old guys with gray hair and good positions, they see me and say "oh, troublemaker's coming," because with Lottie, there's no excuse. They didn't like this lady saying there's flashing or this angle is off, because when the die is not good, the machine gets turned off and that's days worth of work to fix.
Later, they made me supervisor.
Growing up in Poland under communism, could you have imagined supervising a group of men in a die casting company in North Chicago, Illinois? Do you remember as young person what it was you wanted to do?
Go to work. Help family. After school, we go to farm and work. Clean up shit. Everything. No problem.
You didn't have dreams of becoming a movie star or traveling the world?
No, no, no, no, no. Family. We help each other. That’s it.
You're known to many people in North Chicago for being at nearly every community event, in constant motion, either feeding or cleaning up after someone.
I need movement. I need to be doing something. It's not hard work. That's my pleasure to do it. I have different blood. I have blood from mountains, from Poland. Mountain people are tough, and it needs to be done. That’s it.
You mentioned that you had done a lot of traveling with a church group. Your faith is very important to you.
We have Polish Mass, every first Sunday of the month. 33 years. Immaculate Conception in Waukegan. There used to be many people that came to Polish Mass, five Masses per week. But Spanish people come, they make room and then no Polish Mass.
Now, we have one priest who does Polish Mass. He's American and Spanish, and he has Polish Mass for us. I go twice a week to teach him to read the gospel in Polish, because his speaking Polish is like my speaking Chinese. I'm happy and he's happy.
I sing in church, and I have a girl who plays organ. Every first Sunday we have five, six songs and I'm singing and people are singing with me.
In 2018, you were recognized by the Veterans Hospital for your volunteerism.
I went there for many years with my friend Irene. Every Sunday we would go to the V.A. Hospital and bring patients from where they were staying down to church. It was lots of WWII veterans, and then Korea and Vietnam. After church we'd have coffee and maybe some cookies, then take them back where they belonged. I'm proud of thais. We would go every Sunday except the first Sunday, that's when I go to Polish Mass. All of that was before the pandemic...
In 2018, The Captain James Lovell Federal Health Care Center recognized Lottie for providing more than 2,000 hours of volunteer work there.
Is there a part of North Chicago life you haven't been a part of or involved in?
I want to say, the City of North Chicago is a family town. It's so great meeting people at meetings and parties. Police Department events and Fire Department events. Alderman Carl Evans makes lots of parties; brings people together. He's the best Alderman in the city for bringing people together.
North Chicago is a small town, but friendly, and a very nice community. People here, they came wanting a better life. North Chicago is a place of faith. Hope.
I love this city and I love these people. I want to be with these people, and say "Hello, what's going on?," and give a hug.
One of Lottie’s most memorable moments was meeting Pope John Paul II, in 1985. Lottie is pictured here with her husband Richard, wearing traditional clothing from their home region of Poland.
This conversation has been edited and condensed.