Cornelia “Nella” Kalinowski, after celebrating her 100th Birthday last January 7, left this life early in the morning of September 2, to enjoy eternity with her Creator in Heaven.  Both Frank and Nella entered the hospital on August 25 of their respective final year, with both departing this sod on a Labor Day weekend.

Nella was predeceased by her husband of 53 years, Francis “Frank”, on 9/6/98, newborn Bathsheba Hudson, on 12/19/1982, her 2nd daughter, Maryla (originally Mary) Schoeck, on 12/26/23, Maryla’s ex-husband, Don Schoeck, on 7/5/24, and John Ventura, Jr, the father of Emilie’s children, on 12/18/23.

Left to cherish so many wonderful memories are her eldest daughter: Dana (originally Donna, the English version of Nella’s middle name, Danuta) (ex-husband, Sanford and their children: Joshua, Tobias “Toby” (Melissa and their children: Justice, Brooklyn and Jakob, and Rosaleyn), Noah (Coco and their children: Macey and Tyler), Judah (Yuni and their son, Tamiku ), Evangeline, Patrick (Lola and children: Rachel, Joseph, Jacob and Rebekah), Michael (and his son, Matthew), Vaughn and Lilly (last 4 adopted);  Maryla’s daughters: Amanda “Mandy” (and her daughter, Camilla), Emilie (and her children: Adriel and Raena) and Libby (Matthew Williams);  youngest daughter, Christina (and her daughters: Alexandria “Sasha”, Katelyn and Halina (Paul Sandoval);  and son, Richard (Karen and their children: Isaiah (Ingrid and their children, Phinehas “Finn” and Thaddeus “Gabe”), Jonathan “Guy” (Mallory and their children: Elliott, Avery and Landon), Rachel Oegema (Phil and their children: Hazel, Boaz and Sully);  Alana,  Vanessa, and Jacob “Kooba” (Bettina and their daughter, Annalynn).

Nella was born in Vladivostok, Russia, on 1/7/1925. Her Father, Fyodor Markowski, from a village near Kiev, Ukraine, (then USSR), married Anna Fibich, from Bolesławiec, Poland (Bunzlau, when in Germany’s border), whose family owned or operated a pottery factory. They eloped to his hometown, only to discover that his parents were pitchforked to death and their estate confiscated, amidst the spread of the Communist Revolution, after which they sought refuge in the Far Eastern tip of Russia, where Nella was born. Tyranny finally caught up with them, when her Merchant Father was sent by the Police to Siberia when Nella was 8, and her Military Hospital-Psychiatrist Mother was also taken by the Police when Nella was 13. She joined thousands of other children, orphaned in the Soviet purges, and was sent via the Trans-Siberian Railroad to an orphanage in Chernobyl for 2 yrs, followed by a year in Kiev. As the Nazis drew closer to that area, she was able to flee to her Father’s birthplace, where she had the miraculous good fortune to see him again, briefly, before she was taken by the Nazis and put into a slave labor farm in Bavaria, where she met her future husband, Frank, who was taken from Poland and also put into slave labor, with both living under grueling conditions.

After the glorious Liberation by the Allies in 1945, Nella and Frank married, had their first child in 1946, and after Frank graduated from Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, they set sail for America, locating to a farm in Weedsport, NY in 1949, where they were sponsored by Fr Sliwowski, who assisted many Polish immigrants, helping them find jobs and get settled. Eventually, Frank landed a job in the Research Dept at Bristol Labs, in Syracuse, NY, eventually reaching full status as a Research Scientist, where Nella later began work as a Lab Technician in the Research wing, after spending several years on a Production Line at GE in Liverpool, NY.

Volumes could be written about the incredible details of all the stories in between, but there is one story Nella was adamant that it be told : GOD IS NOT DEAD!, contrary to what the Communists taught her! It took some dogged persuasion by Frank, confronting her proud atheistic stance, but accepting the Bible’s 19th Psalm pronouncement that “The heavens declare the glory of God”, emphasizing the natural revelation of God through the miracle of creation, Nella soon obeyed the command of Jesus Christ, to be Born Again, and was baptized, receiving by faith the Redemption that He purchased by His sacrifice on the Cross, a promise granted to all who would receive His forgiveness for sin. The Book of John states that “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” That spiritual transformation came to be the foundation of a beautiful life enjoyed by Nella, and it fueled this persistently good-natured and gracious woman, who touched so many lives with her generous kindness.

Frank and Nella were active Communicants of Sacred Heart Basilica in Syracuse, NY, where Nella wanted to be remembered, when she went to be with The Lord.  Frank and Nella were regular members of The Syracuse Polish Home from the beginning, where they loved to sing and dance and create the beautiful memories that still live on in the hearts of their kids and those who knew them. Nella loved to dance, listen to music, go out to eat, go for car rides and take in the sights, loved all animals, especially her cats, she was a voracious reader and a news junkie, and she loved to garden and grow her

amazing flowers!

Calling Hours: Wednesday 4 – 6 PM Hollis Funeral Home 1105 W Genesee Street Syracuse

Funeral Services : 9:30 AM Thursday in The Basilica of The Sacred Heart of Jesus where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated.

Burial: Sacred Heart Cemetery Geddes

Instead of flowers, those who would like to, may donate to Sacred Heart Basilica 927 Park Avenue Syracuse NY 13204 ONLINE, www.sacredheartbasilicasyr.org or to  New Hope Family Services 3519 James Street Syracuse NY 13206 or ONLINE newhopefamilyservices.com – they provide free ultrasound services to pregnant mothers, as does PREBORN.COM

 Live Stream: The Basilica of The Sacred Heart of Jesus

http://bit.ly/4dCjjs6