Sophie C. Kukulski Sawicki

To Sophie C. Sawicki, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, she was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around her, she seemed to be eternally happy, and she willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Sophie, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, she could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Sophie really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Her parents were Frank and Rose Kukulski. Sophie was raised on the south side of Chicago. Even as a child, Sophie had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. She couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. She was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, she succeeded in entertaining her entire family.

Always a good playmate, Sophie was easygoing and fun loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was, even during family squabbles. She seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Sophie managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Sophie was raised with 14 siblings. She had Ed, Mary, Bernice, Helen, Sally, Christopher, Elizabeth, Harry, Gertrude, Edmund, Richard, Frances, Raymond and Stanley.

All of Sophie's playful good humor carried over into her childhood. She was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed her to be constantly on the go. As a result, Sophie experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited her very well. When she wasn't babysitting her younger siblings,she liked sneaking out of the house to climb on the monkey bars at the playground. In her spare time she liked reading,playing on the playground and jumping rope.

Sophie never actually encountered a stranger in her dealings with people. She was drawn to individuals and crowds, using her gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate her audience. This quality allowed Sophie to continually develop new relationships, ever widening her circle of friends. Sophie delighted in her role among all her acquaintances, because she viewed them all as potential spectators for her performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Sophie was always right at home entertaining her friends. Sophie utilized her interest in others as a great way to connect with them. Later in life, she became friends with the Howards and Joe & Helen Nowak. Sophie loved sharing life and having her home filled with people she knew. The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Sophie very easy to approach.

On June 6, 1931 Sophie exchanged wedding vows with John Sawicki at St. Joseph Catholic Church of Chicago, Illinois. She would always say she and John had a blessed and beautiful life despite the fact that the Great Depression was a part of their lives. John was a kind and loving husband who, sadly left her side too soon, Sophie has missed him all these years. Sophie and John were blessed with one child, Grace. They were also blessed with 3 grandchildren, Grace Colleen, Edward John and Scott Christopher. Her 6 great-grandchildren, Ryan Christopher, Adam Daniel, Courtney Ann, Lindsey Rose, Miranda Sophie and Ethan Connor were blessed to have the best Babci they could have ever hoped for.

Perhaps the reason Sophie related so well to children was the fact that she never really completely grew up herself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped her in raising her own children. Sophie had the ability to focus her attention on the present moment. If she was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of her attention was directed. Sophie's compassionate side prevented her from being a strict disciplinarian, and she could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. She could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Sophie had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

Sophie enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Sophie liked sewing and creating and making things. Her favorite pursuits were playing Bunco or Pinochle. Sophie was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but was also willing to share her interests with others. Her grandchildren and great grandchildren enjoyed numerous card and dice games with her.

Sophie felt excited and challenged by various games that took place in the game room of her condo weekly. Even if she wasn’t the best, Sophie loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Sophie relished the opportunities when she could,and she would often push herself to play above her abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Sophie never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. Sophie was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list was White Sox baseball along with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren's sporting events.

A generous person who often wore her heart on her sleeve, Sophie often found herself involved in activities she deemed important. She was charitable, kind and giving, qualities that made her a natural volunteer. Outspoken in her beliefs, yet tactful in her dealings with others, Sophie was a member of several community groups, serving as volunteer at the DuPage County Convalescent Center. In her younger days she volunteered at the Amphitheatre in Chicago during many political events.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Sophie recognized that her faith was important to her throughout her life. She was a member St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church. During that time, she was active in the rosary groups and women's groups at the church.

Naturally outgoing and generous, Sophie was regularly doing things for others. For her, the gift of giving to others was second nature. Though she never set out to gain individual recognition, Sophie was given accolades for her many and varied accomplishments throughout her life. Some of her most prestigious awards included awards she received for volunteering.

Living life in the fast lane suited Sophie just fine. It is no surprise that she loved to travel and to visit new and different places. She was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. She was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included the Holy Land, Italy and Colorado.

Sophie was a lover of animals and cherished her pets, enjoying them almost as much as she enjoyed being around other people. One of Sophie's favorites was a dog, Smokey. They were best friends for 8 years.

Sophie believed that you had to experience life, and her life in retirement was no different. With her boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Sophie remained busy with people and projects. In retirement, she found new pleasure in long car rides and visiting relatives and friends. Even in retirement, Sophie continued to stay in touch with her old friends and, since she'd never met a stranger, she made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

Sophie brought joy to all of those around her. She never had a mean bone in her body. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Sophie C. Sawicki lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her. She will be remembered with a smile.

Sophie Sawicki, nee Kukulski, beloved wife of the late John; devoted mother of Grace (Edward) Williams; loving grandmother of Grace Colleen (Robert) Stack, Edward J. (Jeanette) Williams, and Scott C. (Joanna) Williams; Great grandmother of Ryan, Adam, Courtney, Miranda, Lindsey, and Ethan. Sister of Sally, Harry, and Gertrude and the late Edward, Mary, Helen, Bernice, Christopher, Elizabeth, Edmund and Richard. Visitation Friday, January 27, 2012 from 3-8PM, at the Blake-Lamb Funeral Home, 5015 Lincoln Avenue, Lisle (on Rt. 53, ½ mile south of Ogden Ave./Rt. 34) where funeral services will begin Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 8:45am and proceed to St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, Mass 9:30am. Interment Resurrection Cemetery in Justice, Illinois. For information call the funeral home at (630) 964-9392.