Edward Kraemer

The Polish Home Association bids our long time member Edward Kraemer farewell. He was born in Lodz, Poland. During WWII he lost his parents and was raised by Dom Dziecka, an orphanage in Lodz. Being a very good student, after completion of high school he was accepted as a student by the University of Warsaw. It was there that he met a woman about whom he talked the rest of his life. That woman was Sława Przybylska, who was well known in the student circles. She performed at a Warsaw Students'Club "Stodoła" where she made her first appearances of her long career as a popular singer.

After completion of studies at the University of Warsaw, he got a very good job at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was sent in delegation to West Germany. He asked for Political Asylum and immigrated the the United States. Like most immigrants he worked as a dishwasher, and for a time taught Polish at the University of Washington.I talked to a few of his students who said that he was a very good professor.

A few years later he married his beautiful Italian,Toni, and directed his interests to real estate. Many immigrants remember him for renting houses and apartments to them, and when necessary interpreting which he was good at, and many remember him as a friend who had a very good sense of humor, loved dancing and music.

He was fascinated by cars, although not always the best make and quality, and helped many to purchase their first cars at a very reasonalble prices. It did not mean necessarily that he could drive the car home, but it was very inexpensive and they had a lot of fun doing it.

His later greatest passion were marathons and often talked about them. In 1979 be became a member of the Polish National Alliance Lodge 489, and in 1982 became a member of the Polish Home Association, and was an active member participating in meetings as well as all events. He was always willing to help others, even financially.

I know we will all fondly remember him.