By Jerry Vondas

Published: Wednesday, October 10, 2012, 12:01 a.m.
Updated: Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Pearl Mary Krawczyk's life was one of service to her family, church and community.

As a member of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish In Polish Hill, she served her church in numerous endeavors, including preparing food bags for the hungry and fruit baskets for those in hospitals and nursing homes.

Pearl Mary Swierkowska Krawczyk of Polish Hill died on Monday, Oct. 8, 2012, in St. Clair Hospital, Mt. Lebanon. She was 97.

“If my mother heard that there was a neighbor who was ill and confined to their home, she'd prepare a hot meal that she would take to their home,” said Virginia Sedor of Upper St. Clair.

Others got a special treat.

“And there would also be a plate of pizzelles, which were my mother's specialty for new neighbors,” Sedor said.

Being a devout Roman Catholic, Mrs. Krawczyk participated in reciting the Rosary and novenas, her daughter said.

“My mother was the youngest of seven children,” Sedor said. “And like many of the youngsters who grew up during the Depression years, my mother, being one of seven children, went to work for Armstrong Cork in the Strip District when my grandfather died.”

In 1938, she married Stanley Krawczyk of Lawrenceville, who worked for the Heppenstall Mill in Lawrenceville.

“Although money was tight, my parents enjoyed themselves,” Sedor said. “They enjoyed polka dancing and when they could, we'd all go to Lake Erie for a day or two.

“And in later years, she enjoyed the time she spent with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She did a lot of babysitting.”

In addition to her daughter Virginia, Mrs. Krawczyk is survived by 10 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Stanley Krawczyk; son, Richard Krawczyk; daughter, Patricia Kosakowski; sisters, Selma Pilarski, Regina Lewandowski, Ann Mrozenski and Agnes Bazner; and brothers, Zigmund Swierkowski and Stanley Swierkowski.

Friends will be received from 3 to 8 p.m. Wednesday in the Walter J. Zalewski Funeral Home, 3201 Dobson St., Polish Hill. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday in Immaculate Heart of Mary, Polish Hill.

Jerry Vondas is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-320-7823 or jvondas@tribweb.com.

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