STANLEY OSTROWSKI CELEBRATES 100TH BIRTHDAY

Gary, Indiana - Stanley Ostrowski was born on February 21, 1911 in the Polish land near Kielce. Stanley's youth took place during Marshal Pilsudski's fight against communist Russia. Mr. Ostrowski attended public schools, which opened as a result of Marshal Pilsudski's victory for Polish freedom. During his schooling, Mr. Ostrowski developed a love for music. When he was 15 years old, he saw a beautiful violin which he could not afford, so with great care and patience, he made his own violin. He taught himself to play the violin by ear and later performed at many public concerts. His success with his first violin encouraged him to make more violins, which later sold to government officials. This experience of constructing his own violin, with such precision, inspired his talent and love for carpentry. He has been a master carpenter ever since that time.

As a young adult, Mr. Ostrowski became a Polish soldier. He is especially proud of the fact that he was chosen to be an honor guard at Marshal Pilsudski's mothers grave, which had the inscription, "Marshal Pilsudski's heart is laid to rest at his mother's feet".

During World War II, Mr. Ostrowski worked as a carpenter for a German aristocrat, Mr. George Dicel, at his farm in Bavaria, Germany. In 1944, Mr. Ostrowski was sent to the concentration camp in Dachau for listenening to a Polish radio station from London. Mr. Dicel, who valued Mr. Ostrowski'd excellent work, acquired him from the camp and ensured his survival. It was during this time in Germany that Mr. Ostrowski met and married his wife Stefania, who also worked at Mr. Dicel's German villa.

In 1949, even though Mr. Dicel assured Mr. Ostrowski that he would always have a job in one of his many German factories, Stanley, Stefania, and their young daughter immigrated to the U.S.A. In search of better opportunities, Mr. Ostrowski worked at the U.S. Steel Mill Administration recognized him with a banquet and awarded him fir his work ethic and excellence as a cabinet maker and carpenter. This was the first time in the U.S. Steel Mill's history that a blue collar worker was honored.

During his lifetime, Stanley Ostrowski has been very active in many Polish organizations. He devoted many years to the PNA Lodge 2431, named Marshal Pilsudski, Council 127, and District 15 of the PNA. He was elected 3 times as a delegate for the PNA National Convention. He attended the convention with President Rozmarek in Pennsylvania and Detroit, and with President Mazewski in Milwaukee. His numerous fundraising efforts for the PNA youth camp were successful with generous donations from the convention committee. He organized a Saturday Polish School that included language, dancing, and singing. The school was located at St. Hedwig Parish in Gary, Indiana, where there were 81 students and 3 teachers.

Since 1972, to the present, Mr. Ostrowski has led the Polish American Center, Inc. He received the Polish American Heritage Award on January 2000 from the Silver Bell Lodge 2365 for his outstanding contributions in promoting fraternalism and Polonia through the Polish American Center, Inc. He has also received the Director's Award and the Deputy Sheriff Star from Lake County for his outstanding work as director of the Independent Democratic Party of Lake County. Mr. Ostrowski also promotes education through the Polish American Center, Inc. Presently, along with his continued service to Polonia, Mr. Ostrowski keeps busy with his passion for gardening at his home in Lake of the Four Seasons.

Mr. Ostrowski is happily surrounded by his family; daughter Christine, married to Dr. Dan Galloway, and daughter, Irene from Indianapolis, married to Mr. Craig Hart. Stanley has 5 grandchildren: Jennifer, Kimberly and Lauren Galloway, and Erin and Ryan Hart.

Submitted by:
Steve Tokarski
Lodge 2365 PNA

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