Our dearly departed mother, Lillian Dorothy (Slowik) Berkowski, who was born in Detroit on April 8, 1927, died on July 25, 2020.  She was 93.  Lillian was named after the most famous actresses of the era, sisters Lillian and Dorothy Gish, in what we believe was a pretty bold move for her Polish immigrant parents, Joseph and Mary (Jasinska) Slowik.  It's quite possible her teenage siblings came up with that name for their new baby sister or that her parents, after 10 children, ran out of names of saints which is the more typical Catholic tradition for naming your children.  Lillian, the youngest of 10 children, was predeceased by Catherine (Brostowski), John, Stella (Michels), Julia/June (Laskowski), Anthony (Tony), Frank, Theresa (Bobrycki), Alfonse (Nifty), and Virginia (Bartoszek).

Her parents owned a grocery store on the corner of Edward and Parkinson in Detroit and Lillian lived in that house for the first 42 years of her life until 1969 (except in the first year of her marriage in 1950).  That house and grocery store was the "grand central station" for my mom's extended family from the 1920s through the early 1970s.  There was always somebody visiting, usually on a Friday night.  She was particularly close to her sister Theresa (who owned the grocery store and lived on the lower level from the 1950s to the early 1970s) and her children Tina, Suzy and Eileen.  That grocery store was famous for its smoked Polish sausage that Uncle Tony made every Thursday in the smokehouse after he got out of his factory job at GM's Ternstedt plant.   Lillian attended St. Stephens grade school and St. Casimir high school and was fortunate to be the only sibling in her family to graduate from high school, the older siblings being pressed to work in the store or find a job in the factory to support the family.  Not unusual in that era but still interesting is that my mom only spoke Polish to her parents who themselves spoke little English.  Her older siblings had to teach her English.

Lillian met her husband Joseph Berkowski at St. Stephen's elementary school in Southwest Detroit, a school that 5 of their 6 children also attended.  They started dating when they were in high school (Joe graduated from Holy Redeemer) and his family owned a furniture store and then a bar.   Joe and Lillian wed on April 22, 1950 and started their family with 5 children in 9 years; Joe, Jr, Bill, Monica, Tommy, and Larry, and 8 years later came Carol Ann.  One of the saddest periods in Lillian's life was when Tommy was tragically killed in a car accident in 1976 soon after his high school graduation.  Lillian never really got over his death but she managed her sorrow the best she could while raising the rest of her family.

Lillian was a homemaker and the consummate Polish cook. She prided herself in making all the traditional Polish dishes and desserts from pierogi to paczki and coffee cake to kielbasa. Every year she spent days preparing for our famous Polish Christmas Eve tradition called Wigilia, including the breaking of the Opatek wafer and wishing each other well.  She will be missed by her family always, but particularly at Christmas.

Because her husband worked for the University of Detroit his entire career, both were supportive of their children also pursuing college degrees.  As the child of immigrant parents, Lillian wanted her children to have the opportunities that she didn't and believed a college degree was the way to a fulfilling career.  We are all grateful for that.  Lillian also had a terrific sense of humor and loved to dance, especially the Polka.  She will be remembered for her many quips, one-liners, and zingers.

Lillian is survived by her 5 children Joseph, Jr. (Ina Fernandez), Dr. William (Louise), Monica (the late John) Barbour, Lawrence (Peggy Shine) Carol Ann (Dean) Schneider, and the late Thomas, by 18 grandchildren Andy and Monisha; Brandon, Kimberly Wiedenhoeft, Michael, Bill, Jr; Sammy, Katie and Kimberly Barbour; Ted, Neala, and  Juliana; Tommy, Joey, Lillian, Nick, Julia and Alex Schneider, 11 great grandchildren and 22 nieces and nephews. She is also survived by one sister-in-law, Sophie Slowik, who is 98.

In wrapping this up, we can't forget the importance of University of Detroit Mercy in her life and the trips Lillian and Joe made with the baseball and the basketball teams. She was truly a Titan fan.

In the end, all we have are the memories.  Thank you, mom, for leaving so many.

Memorial contributions can be made to University of Detroit Mercy.