For those of you who are not familiar, please also read the first two blog posts to better understand the story.
https://heartofpolonia.blogspot.com/2025/03/heart-of-polonia-introduction-serce.html
https://heartofpolonia.blogspot.com/2025/04/karen-peck-part-one-introduction.html?
This blog is about meeting the Giczkowski family (Karen Peck’s maternal side.) Karen was very close to her grandparents and aunts.
I feel the need to share their story because they left such important pictures and mementos regarding their everyday life, and it seems they were waiting for someone to tell their story.
It was like a time capsule of moments captured in time.
They were the picture takers. It seems every event was photographed. And thankfully, many are labeled so we know where and who they are. (Karen’s cousin said that Karen’s mother and Aunt Jean would take pictures of everything, funerals, weddings, outings. They were ahead of their time!) Unfortunately, I do not have all their pictures but will share what I do have.
They were a proud Polish American family of the Holy Mother of the Rosary Cathedral Polish National Catholic Church. (PNCC.)
Jean (Eugenia) Giczkowska the oldest, was the saver of things, the documenter of this story.
Her parents were Stanley Steven Giczkowski born in Poland on September 6, 1895 and Anna Mae Basinska Giczkowska, born in Buffalo on July 25, 1897. Stanley worked at the Metal Alloy Corporation on Elmwood Avenue. They were parents of all girls.
(A woman's last name in Polish ends in "ska" if the male form of the name is "ski".)
77 Milburn Street on Buffalo’s east side was their first home, with Anna Mae’s family. It is most likely that Jean was born in this house. (The house is no longer standing.)
Stanley Steven Giczkowski (photo from estate sale.)
Anna Mae Basinska (photo from estate sale.)
The girls were Jean (Eugenia), Anna, Irene, Leona, and Dorothy.
Eugenia (Jean) Victoria Giczkowska was born on November 29, 1919. Jean was very outgoing and involved in various committees in the Church, a member of the St. Cecelia Choir, and officer in Sodality, and an officer in Dzieci Maryi (Children of Mary) Society.
1939 Eastonian - East High School Senior Picture - Buffalo, NY
Anna C. Giczkowska (mother of Karen Peck) was born on July 3, 1921. Anna was also involved in various committees in the Church, member of the Love of God Society, Sodality, Officer in Dzieci Maryi, and member of the Drum and Bugle Corp. where she played the fife. She was also the athlete of the family, playing baseball.
1939 Eastonian - East High School - Buffalo, NY
Irene F. Giczkowska was born on August 3, 1923. Irene was involved in many church activities and a member of Dzieci Maryi and Sodality. She was also in the Drum and Bugle Corp. playing the fife.
Irene on her Wedding Day.
Irene and sister Leona who is pinning the Dzieci Maryi ribbon on her.
Leona Giczkowska was born in 1925. Leona was in poor health most of her life due to a bad heart. She was the financial secretary for Dzieci Maryi. Her sisters considered her the smart one.
Leona 1st Communion with sister Dorothy.
1942 The Compass Yearbook - Kensington High School - Buffalo, NY
Dorothy Jane Giczkowska was born on January 29, 1928. The youngest, Dorothy was also a member of Dzieci Maryi and Sodality.
1947 - The Herald Yearbook - Girls Vocational High School - Buffalo, NY
The Giczkowski family then lived at 113 Poplar Avenue, in the Schiller Park section of Buffalo, directly across the street from Public School 11, where I assume all the girls attended.
Domiwego zobaczenia! See you soon!
June 21, 1931
I hope you will continue supporting my blog, there are many more Polonia stories to share.Dziekuje!
Please note I am still very interested in any items someone might have purchased at KAREN’S AND HER MOTHER’S ESTATE SALES.
Including this item sold on Ebay.
ALSO:
I am still very interested in any items from KAREN
PECK’S BROADCASTING CAREER or anything else someone might have purchased
from either Karen’s mother Estate sale or her own.
Special thanks to Marty Biniasz for his contribution to
my project.
© 2025 Robert J. Sulecki
Use of the text and images on this Blogspot, are to be shared with credit to the writer Bobby J. Sulecki.
To contact me with any questions or comments my email is:
suleckibobby@gmail.com
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