Susan Pawlowski

Susan Pawlowski was born in Splawy Poland on May 5, 1921 and was called to God on November 3, 2011 in Ruidoso, NM. She is preceded in death by her husband, Zygmunt and is survived by her children Teresa Henriques husband Robert, of Kona, HI, Irene Pawlowski of Ruidoso, NM, Rick Pawlowski partner Michael Steele of Las Vegas, NV, two grand children, three great grandchildren, two step great grandsons and two step great granddaughters.

Raised on a farm in Poland, Susan was captured and imprisoned in a Nazi labor camp in 1942. It was there that she met her future husband, Zygmunt, who, serving in the Polish military, was a Nazi POW. Both surviving the ordeal of WWII, they married after the American Army liberated them from the prison camp. They were fortunate to be sponsored to become refugees and set sail for the USA with their daughter Teresa. Wishing to live the American Dream, Susan opened a tavern in the south side of Chicago and successfully fended off the mob which gave Susan her no nonsense reputation and a source to be reckoned with. Irene, their second child was born in Chicago. The family moved to El Segundo, CA. There they were active in Polish cultural societies and Susan with the help of her husband and a few families of Polish decent, founded the first Polish National Catholic Church west of the Rockies. Their third child Rick was born. Susans social ways and hospitality were phenomenal. Her sense of humor and her culinary flair for Polish food made her a favorite of her friends. They remained in California until after their retirement when they moved to Las Vegas. As a widow, Susan went to live with her daughter Irene and spent time visiting Las Vegas with her son Rick.

Susan will best be known among her friends as a person who never stopped working, a straight shooter, with an off beat sense of humor and the ability to muster up several course meals in a matter of a few minutes. The echos of Eat, eat will forever be etched in the backs of the minds of those who ever had the chance to meet her.

Services were held at LaGrone Chapel on Tuesday, November 8, at 2:00 P.M. and mass intentions for her will be held in the future at St. Eleanor Roman Catholic Church.

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