Alfreda A (Kuczynski) Sokolowski

Message from Jane (Marcinkowski) Everhart

Thank you, Beth and Greg, for arranging a lovely funeral for your Mom, Tedge. It had the three R’s: Respect, Recognition, Reverence. In fact, I think Tedge would have enjoyed her own funeral. Perhaps she did, because I sensed her presence with us.
I felt her presence in Our Lady of the Rosary Polish church with the lovely organ music and choir soloist, and her sister Helen, now matriarch of the family, greeting
friends in the front row. I felt Tedge’s presence, too, in the long, silent cortege of cars on the way to the cemetery, flags waving, lights blinking. She would have loved the pageantry.
I especially felt Tedge’s presence in the white tent at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery, where the urns containing her ashes and her husband Michael’s ashes were set on a small altar in front of the tent, along with their photographs.
The ceremony at the cemetery was awesome. I could not hold back tears at the playing of taps, the volley of rifle shots to commemorate Michael’s combat duty in the U.S. Army, and at the end, bidding farewell to my two lifelong friends, Tedge and Michael, at the little altar that held their ashes. The ceremony seemed very special because Tedge was president of the Wives Auxiliary of the American Legion for many years.
Then there was the the post-funeral reception at Michael’s Pub, an event that Tedgy surely would have loved. The funeral party took over half the restaurant, with a buffet at one end that included Tedge’s legendary apple cake (which she famously brought to all the funeral receptions of departed friends.) The room, with charming booths and tables, held three generations of Tedge’s family plus friends and neighbors, who mingled, dined and shared stories about Tedge. Greg and Beth about told how Tedge and Michael had both helped them raise the grandchildren, taking care of them after school every day, and Greg told us about his last emotional days with his Mom just before her passing.
I wish there had been a microphone because I think then I might have shared a classic example of why so many people have commented on this site about Tedge’s kindness and generosity: I was living in New York City and my mother had given up her home when she died unexpectedly in a nursing home in 1990--so I had no place to hold a post-funeral reception. With her typical generosity, Tedge offered to have the reception at her home. Not only did Tedge open up her lovely house, so charmingly decorated with Americana, to those attending my Mom’s funeral, but she cooked tons of food--including kielbasa (my Mom was Polish)--for the guests. Her generosity had no limits. I will be forever grateful to my dear childhood friend.
Tedge was a principled woman of strength and honor. In another era, another place, she might have been an Amelia Earhart or an Eleanor Roosevelt. She lived her life fully, honestly, artistically, contributing her skills to the community and her family. I was gratified to see, at the funeral reception, that both her children, Beth and Greg, have turned out exactly as she had hoped: Beautiful, giving, ethical people devoted to family and community. I am sure Tedge died knowing that her mission in life had been fulfilled.

Message from kimberly sokolowski

Gregg and beth ann so sorry. I remember aunt Tedge let us stay over your house because after our house got broken into my mother was afraid to be alone at night when leon worked. She was always there for us and will remember the holidays which were special. May she rest in peace.

Message from Ellen Hunt

I send my deepest sympathy to the family. I have been friends with Tedge since we were freshmen at Commerce High School. We often went to class reunions together. I would visit her frequently and she always spoke so fondly of her son and daughter. We had many laughs together through the years and I will miss her dearly.

A candle was lit by Bill & Jocie Scibelli on July 23, 2017 4:18 PM

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Greg, Beth and Family
So sorry to hear of your loss. Tedge was a good woman with a BIG HEART--always there to help you in any way. I will miss seeing her at her kitchen sink always cooking and listening to her Frank Sinatra music!!. SHE WAS A GREAT NEIGHBOR AND WE WILL MISS HER TERRIBLY! Rest in peace, Tedge-Love Bill & Jocie

Message from Greg

Thank you

A candle was lit by Bob and Kim Kalinko on July 23, 2017 10:11 AM

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So sorry for your loss, our thoughts and prayers are with you. She will always be remembered as a kind and caring person.

Message from Jane (Macinkowski) Everhart

My sympathies to the Kuczynski and Sokolowski families, especially to the wonderful Beth, Tedge's daughter, who always did the right thing for her Mom, and to the amazing Greg, Tedge's son, who did not forget. You had to know Tedge to appreciate her creativity, her leadership qualities, her hard-work ethic, her public -speaking flair, her kindness and her sense of humor. She had the ability to see the ironic humor in trying to relate the Polish culture to our American lives . We grew up in the North End of Springfield during the Great Depression and her humor helped us through some tough times. Tedge's characteristic peal of laughter will follow me for the rest of my life. Rest in peace, dear childhood friend. Life on earth is temporary but your accomplishments are permanent.

Message from John and Karen Gralia

So sorry for your loss, our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Message from Kathy (Kane) Tracy

I'm so sorry for your loss, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.