Sophie Lucille Pitrak

Sophie was born in Chicago on May 15, 1922 to Helen and Frank Kostecki and a large family of brothers and sisters. She attended McCormick Grammar School and graduated from Harrison High School. She often said she enjoyed her childhood and spent lots of time at the park and playground, where she learning to dance and skate and play ball. After high school she worked as a secretary at the Prudential Insurance Company.

She loved to roller skate and got herself a pair of precision roller skates and took lessons. She traveled all over Chicago by “streetcar” to skate at all the big and well known roller rinks around town. During World War II she was a “block captain” in her neighborhood.

As the men started coming back from the war, Sophie and her long time neighbor, Bernard (Ben) Pitrak started dating, became engaged and married. After living in Chicago for a few years and having their first child, they moved out to the suburb of Lyons as their second child was on the way. The neighborhood was brand new and a school was being built across the street.

That new school, Elm School (now Robinson) was completed and the neighborhood grew. Sophie joined the PTA and baked for the bake sales and was one of the “room mothers” for some of her daughter classes. She also became a Girl Scout leader.

In 1959 her third child was born and the house was a busy place with many family members, school friends, and neighbors dropping in. There was always music and laughing and games and fun. Everybody knew the “house with the breezeway” that was across the street from the school yard.

Sophie started work at the Morton East Cafeteria in the late 60’s. She always liked her job and all the ladies she worked with. She met most all of the faculty and staff since she worked in the Teachers’ Cafeteria.

She continued to work at Morton after the death of her husband in 1983. She remained busy with many activities and eventually joined a bowling league organized by some of the teachers at Morton East. It was there that she met Jerry Hanzelin. They were always busy with dancing and dining, and were members of Ceska Beseda. They traveled extensively, both nationally and internationally. Sophie and Jerry also worked at Benedictine College in the catering department. They served many distinguished guest and thoroughly enjoyed their time there. They also became volunteers at the Brookfield Zoo, and were always ready to volunteer for whatever was needed. They loved their time there and won the “Twiga” award for exemplary service. It is the highest award offered to volunteers and she and Jerry were so very proud of it.

Sophie was also very active in St. Hugh Catholic Church. She was a member of the Catholic Womens’ Society and won the Women of the Year award. She had many wonderful friends there and even after Jerry’s death in 2015, she continued to attend meetings and go to as many activities as she could.

When her beloved daughter, Paulette, died in 2016, Sophie had already been diagnosed with cancer. Her time after that became increasing more difficult with several hospitalizations and lengthy recoveries. Through it all she kept her sense of humor and loved to tell jokes to everyone. She loved shopping and she loved parties. She loved to watch cowboys and old movies on TV. She was a great listener and made friends with everyone she met. She was a “people person” long before the term became popular. She will be sadly missed by many…

She is survived by her daughters, Lucille Vandell (Stephen Driesler), Diane

Pitrak (Hollywood Goldsmith), by her grandson, Alexander Vandell (Shirley Chang), her brother William Kostecki, and many nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Visitation Friday, June 9, 2017 at Mount Auburn Funeral Home, 4101 S. Oak Park Ave. Stickney from 2pm to 8pm. Funeral Mass, Saturday 10:30am at St. Hugh Catholic Church, 7939 43rd St, Lyons, IL 60534. Interment St. Mary Cemetery, Evergreen Park, IL. Info: (708)-749-2033 or www.mountauburnfuneralhome.com