Remembering Wictoria Rudnicki

To the Editor:

The first time I saw her was in the 1983 Labor Day Parade. She marched wearing a sandwich board commemorating Polish War Veterans. She participated in every parade, but she always marched alone. There was a story there, but it would be another 15 years before I would find out what it was.

I met Wictoria at her Sandy Hook home in 1998. It was built by her husband and she kept it very clean. A devout Catholic, she had framed pictures of Christ and the Pope in her living room. She was especially proud of fact that John Paul II, just like her, was born in Poland.

During my visit, she told me about the war, the German invasion of Poland, escaping from the camp in Russia, the long train ride to Pakistan, the boat trip to Iran and then driving a medical truck supporting the Polish resistance in Egypt. She met her husband during the war, they married, lived in England for a few years and then emigrated to the United States.

A friend mentioned that it took a lot of courage for Wictoria to walk alone in that parade year after year. It surely did, but I think the only thing on Wictoria’s mind was honoring her friends of the past and that is why she was always smiling.

Sincerely,

Mark Dennen

6 Old Green Road, Sandy Hook                                          July 10, 2001

(Editor’s note: Wictoria Rudnicki died July 4 at the age of 79.)