Harry Pietrzak Biography

Hieronim Martin PIETRZAK was born 09 Sep 1914 in Cicero, Cook County, Illinois, to Marcin and Balbina (STASZAK) PIETRZAK. He was one of eight children in a very close family.

1934
Harry and Phil Lujac

30 Apr 1938
Harry Martin Pietrzak
Marie Elaine (Langner) Pietrzak

Right to Left:
Tom Piasecki, Joe Brecks, Frank Browiarczyk, Ray Langner, Harry Pietrzak (groom), Vincent "Gabby" Pietrzak, John Piasecki II, Edwin Zaleski, Dick Luczak
~
Celia Tomazkcwiecz, Dolores Lasciewski, Florence Panzak, Harriet Tomazkcwiecz, Marie Langner Pietrzak (bride), Dolores Langner, Beatrice Jacques, Florence Anderson, Mamie Levenarchek

Harry and Marie LANGNER were married 30 Apr 1938 in Cicero, Cook County, Illinois. They had two children, Carl (1939) and Susan (1942).

1938 Apr 30
Bess, Harry Marie, Marty, Balbina

1938
Carl & Helen Anderson
(Carl Pietrzak's namesake)

1939 First Home at 5056 W. 31st Street, Cicero 50, Illinois

1942 Harry with
Frank Bronarczyk
& Frank Strzlecki

1947 May 24
Front Row, Right to Left: Unknown, Marie Langner Pietrzak, Harry Pietrzak,
Jenny Franczkowski Langner, Herbert J. Langner
Second Row, behind them, Left to Right: Tom Piasecki, Lil Allan,
Katharine Prevenas Langner, Ray Langner, Unknown

1948
Harry's 1947 Pontiac
at 5056 W. 31st St.

1953
Carl, Harry, Sue, Marie

"Dad enjoyed sports, and most of the things we did together involved athletics, and in particular, baseball. Dad, even though he was only 5’6” and weighed maybe 140 lbs., was a catcher as a teen and young man. He used that old catchers mitt to play catch with me even in my high school years." [*CMP]

"Oddly enough though, the one story told most often about my Dad’s athletic feats was a basketball game. There were leagues in Cicero for all sports, and often the teams were as much family teams as they were church or business teams. Well, Dad’s team was playing an undefeated team staffed with Thomaskiewiczs all of whom were over 6’ tall. Dad’s team was amazingly down by only one point with five seconds left. Someone in bounded the ball to Dad who was at the free-throw line at the opposite end of the court. Dad turned, and heaved the ball like a, now old fashion between the legs, free throw 3/4ths the length of the court and hit nothing but net. Mom said the place erupted in a deafening roar. She said, Uncle Ray, who was sitting next to her, personally destroyed three chairs in the wild celebration that followed. Mom added, Uncle Ray about destroyed my Dad too, while enthusiastically slapping him on the back." [*CMP]

"Uncle Harry was on the same neighborhood baseball team as Dad [Ray Langner]. He was the only Sox fan we knew." [*ML]

"Softball leagues were a big thing in Cicero in the late 40’s and Dad often took me to see the games at the Hawthorn Community Center. Dad knew a lot of the players for many were friends. I always rooted for 'Bimbo’s Tavern.' Dad took me to a number of White Sox games too, the last one with my, then six year old, son." [*CMP]

1955 Oct 09
Harry, Marie, Sue, & Carl

1955
Harry (on right) with golf buddies

“My Dad worked hard all his life, and often odd hours. He was a pressman in the Donnelly print shop when he and Mom were engaged and was laid off just before they married. He found a job at Western Electric just before I was born, so Dad must have been without work for about 18 months. He was a welder of large telephone switchboard frames most of his working life. To make more money, he worked the 3-11 and 11-7 shifts. He said he made a mistake not going back to Donnelly after the war, for he would have made much more money as a pressman.” [*CMP]

"Harry worked on the line at Western Electric. He turned down management jobs because he liked having a job that he could just do and go home and forget." [*RML]

Harry could eat and eat, but always remained thin. His favorite breakfast was a sandwich made from chocolate whipped cream cake and fresh polish sausage. His family was known for dunking hotdogs in a communal sugar bowl.

“Uncle Harry had the distinction of being the first in the family to have false teeth.” [*ML]

Harry was a great gardener. His lawn was well-manicured and his backyard rose garden was exceptionally beautiful.

“Connie’s father was very active in the stock market. With his help, we did some trading, and my parents got interested too. After a few years, they asked me to invest for them. Dad in particular took an interest in what was being traded, as he enjoyed seeing the dividend checks and profits come in. While both he and Mom were somewhat fearful at the beginning, Dad was really tickled by his new found income. He often said, 'My brothers and sisters would be shocked if they knew I was in the market, and knew how much money I was making.' During his last three to four years of his life, he gained the knowledge and developed the confidence to call the broker himself to discuss stock activities. He even got to reading the business section of the paper before the sports section. In fact, because he was reading so much he actually knew more about what was going on than I did. It was fun listening to him talk about what became a new hobby. I was proud of him and how 'worldly' he became without bragging about it, which was in keeping with his character.” [*CMP]

Harry had his first heart attack in Mount Vernon, Illinois, while driving back home after visiting Carl and his family in Houston, Texas. His arm was hurting and he laid down in the back while Marie drove. When that didn’t help she took him to the hospital. She stayed in a motel for the two to three weeks he was in the hospital. He was willing to do everything the doctors told him except he would not quit smoking. He even smoked his cigarettes in the oxygen tent!

Harry Martin PIETRZAK died 09 Feb 1981 in Cicero, Cook County, Illinois. He was laid to rest beside his wife in Woodlawn Cemetery.

Harry Martin PIETRZAK

1914 - 1981