Bessie Dolecki

Bessie DOLECKI, originally named Brunislawa Marie DOLECKI, was born 16 Jun 1900 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. Her parents, Frank and Maryanna (LASZEWSKI) DOLECKI, had many infants. Bessie (seated to the right of her sister, Lottie) was one of only four children to survive to adulthood.

“Grannie’s first job was weeding the onion fields for five cents a day. When she came home with her first five cents her stepfather, John LaVigna, asked her what she was going to do with it. She used it to buy him a bucket of beer. Her mother kept having babies, and babies. And, she preferred to go to the fields for five cents a day rather than take care of the babies.” [*ML]

When only 16 years old, Bessie DOLECKI married Martin LANGNER, 17 Feb 1917 in Cicero. They had two children, Marie LANGNER, born 13 Apr 1918, and Raymond LANGNER, born 09 Aug 1921.

“My mother ran the tavern. She was known as 'Ma Langner.' She always drank with the guys. I never saw a woman drink so much whiskey and never get drunk. When we sold the tavern she stayed home. In 1937 she had a nervous breakdown. That’s when we went to live at 256 Elmar Avenue, Chula Vista, California for two months.” [*RML]

“Dadsie used to talk about making the whiskey for the saloon with Grannie. They would have to melt the sugar and make the carmel color for the whiskey, leave it clear for gin They used all the same alcohol, mix it with different things, and put it in different bottles.” [*ML]

“Grannie said that Grandpa thought she was turning into an alcoholic drinking with the customers in the saloon. So, he sold the place. Then he mentioned to her that he hadn’t seen her take a drink in several months. She said there is no money going into the cash register so why bother. So, he bought the place back. It didn’t matter how much was in the glass so she would just pour a little in the bottom of the glass. The customer didn’t care, just so it looked like she was drinking with them, they would buy her drink at full price.” [*ML]

"In 1937 she had a nervous breakdown. That's when we went to live at 256 Elmar Avenue, Chula Vista, California for two months." [*RML]

“When they sold the saloon and we moved to another flat near 29th and 52nd she stayed home. When they repealled prohibition, things got rough. My father didn’t go to work because after making all that money he couldn’t work a regular job. Then she went to work as a salesclerk at the 12th Street Goldblatts store. Then she finally got a job downtown at Bell Telephone as a matron, janitor. She wanted to get into AT&T again. When there was an opening she was transferred to Western Electric where she got her service back. She had worked at Western Electric for five years before their marriage. I never could understand how she could have five years service if she was married at 16. They hired them young then, I guess." [*RML]

“Then she was transferred to AT&T. She worked on 26th Street and Cicero as a matron, then a guard in the older building on 22nd. There were guards on every floor, on every door, every hallway. She was able to sit down. After the war she was made an inspector. That was hard. She had to inspect these trays of 50 pound coils. She had to pick them up, put them on her table, do them, take them off, and put them some place else. She did more than her rate because she had to work at her own pace. The others would get mad at her. So she learned to stock pile and share with the others." [*RML]

“During WWII rationing, Grandpa brought home filet mignon from the black market. To everyone’s disgust, Grannie made stew so everyone could have some.” [*KPL]

Shortly after their 31st wedding anniversary, her first husband, Martin LANGNER, died 31 May 1948.

25 Jun 1954
Bess & Pat

Bessie's second marriage to Pat O’LEARY, 24 Jun 1954 in Cicero, was very short because he turned out to be a violent man and beat her.

1961 Kentucky Derby Betting Crowd
Carl & Connie (standing)
Lottie, Bessie, Mae
Sue, Al, Marie, & Harry

Bessie married Mario MUNARI on 04 Jan 1958 in Cicero. Mario died two years later (26 Jan 1960).

"He was so happy that she washed and ironed a fresh shirt for him for every day." [*ML]

"She learned to drive in Mario's big Cadillac." [*ML]

When she was 65, Bess was forced to retire. It was a difficult adjustment for her to make. She had trouble with her feet, too, which required surgery. Eventually, she started dancing and dating again.

“Grannie liked to go dancing after work. When she got old she had to cut down to only four or five times a week. When she had a date, Aunt Marie made her meet them someplace. Her dates were not allowed into the house.” [*ML]

“Aunt Bess was always at all the parties we went to because her daughter, Auntie Marie, was my Godmother. She was always very well dressed, really fancy. She was really tall, taller than the average woman. People always talked about all the traveling she did.” [*MPQ]

"Grannie used to say she ate anything from the pig snoot to the tail. She never had any trouble eating local foods on any of her trips. She would save all year and splurge on a big vacation. She never had any problem with sharing staterooms with strangers. She said they wern't strangers after the first few days." [*ML]

Bess traveled to many places around the world. She took a number of cruises, including one long cruise across the Pacific Ocean to the Orient.

“Grannie used to come for visits when we lived in West Chicago. She would clean the kitchen floor on her hands and knees. She would also make a large batch of Crullers for us. In the spring, summer, and fall she would also spend time weeding our gardens. She seemed to never tire.” [*NLH]

"Grannie read lots of Harlequin romance novels when she finally got sick."

[*ML]

After a long battle against colon cancer, Bessie died 12 Aug 1977 in Berwyn, Cook County, Illinois. She was buried 15 Aug 1977 in Woodlawn Cemetery, 7750 W Cermak Rd, Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois, Lot 628, Part 6, Laurel Section, Grave 2.

"This is Your Life - Bessie Dolecki Langner O'Leary Munari" Photo Album contributed by Carl Pietrzak

[*KPL Katharine Prevenas Langner, *ML Marty Langner, *MPQ Marsha Piasecki Quick, *NLH Norma Langner Hass, *RML Raymond Martin Langner]

Bessie DOLECKI

16 Jun 1900 - 12 Aug 1977