Dorothy Bojanowski

1929-2024

Dorothy Bojanowski (nee Drzewiecki) was born August 9, 1929, youngest child of Joseph and Mary Drzewiecki. “Dee” was raised in South Chicago where her father owned a local grocery store and where she attended St. Mary Magdalene elementary school and Bowen High School. In high school she was a member of Sigma Alpha Phi Honor Club, secretary of the Order of the Lyric music group, member of the National Honor Society and member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was chosen as ‘most charming’ in her senior class of 1947. She also served as the A-1 savings bond sales representative for Bowen High School.

After high school, she attended Wilson Jr. College. She was chosen by Wilson students as a Sports Queen, representing basketball letterman at the annual Letterman’s Ball, and crowned overall Queen of Sports. She graduated with an associates degree in 1949, first in her family to complete an advanced level of education. Her first job was as receptionist for the law firm of Henry J. Krajewski.

During this time, through mutual friends, she met her future husband and love of her life, Andrew A. Bojanowski. Following his service as a counterintelligence officer in the U.S. Army until 1951, the couple was married October 10, 1953, and honeymooned in Bermuda.

While he grew his family business as co-owner of Calumet Candy Company, a wholesale distributor of candy, tobacco, and sundries, the couple loved traveling, visiting with family and friends, cooking dinners, and building their first dream home in the Pill Hill neighborhood of Chicago. They were active members of St. Ailbe parish.

In August of 1957, they welcomed their firstborn, Andrew J., to the family, followed by four sisters Elise, Nancy, Beth, and Amy. Dee dedicated her attention to her family and her husband’s business creating many memories of attending the national candy conventions and entertaining business associates in her home with skits and musical numbers. She created treasured family traditions at Easter and Christmas that have been passed down through the generations.

As the candy and tobacco business continued to grow and expand, it was relocated to South Holland, Illinois, in 1976. The family also moved to South Holland, building another home nearby and joining the Holy Ghost Church community.

Throughout her lifetime, Dee held various jobs including Chicago lawfirm Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, Maren Engineering and Sears Roebuck & Company department store.

Later in life she moved to Munster, Indiana, where she remained active in her parish, St. Maria Goretti Church, and volunteered for several nonprofit organizations including Community Hospital in Munster (Social Services and Food & Nutrition departments); the Muscular Sclerosis Foundation and Sertoma Centre, Alsip, to name a few.

She is preceded in death by her father Joseph, mother Mary, brother William (Marie) Woodin and sisters Virginia (John) Stickney, Estelle (Woodrow) Hanson, Helen (Sister Margaret Mary, OSB), Emilia (William) Pavich, and husband Andrew A.

She is survived by her five children Andrew J; Elise (Daniel) Sims; Nancy (Jeffrey) Milan; Beth (Stanley) Nieweglowski; Amy (David) Kaczorowski; 12 grandchildren: Jennifer Sims; Kari Sims; Nicholas Sims; Katelyn Milan; Justin (Ellie) Milan; Nathan (Natasha) Milan; Danica Milan; Stan Paul (Hannah) Nieweglowski; Lydia Nieweglowski; Mitchell Nieweglowski; Elizabeth (nee Kaczorowski)(Evan) Pratt; Andrew Kaczorowski, two great grandchildren, Nora and Lincoln Milan; many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, great grandnieces and great grandnephews.

Visitation will be on Sunday, November 17, 2024 from 2-6 pm at Kish Funeral Home 10000 Calumet Ave. Munster, IN  with  a Vigil Service at 5:00 pm and again on Monday, at St. Maria Goretti Church 500 Northgate Dr. Dyer, IN from 9:30 am until the 10:00 am Funeral Mass.  Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, Calumet City, IL.

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