Sonia Kozlowski, age 102, of Warrenville, Il, formerly of Lisle and Norridge, beloved wife of the late Leo Kozlowski; loving mother of Barbara (the late George) DiGuido, Kay (Martin) Heneghan, and Lee (Rita Fitzsimmons) Kozlowski; doting grandmother of Violetta, Sylvia DiGuido & Michael Kozlowski; dear sister of the late Lolly Ambers, Chester Bablo and Lyn Speer; fond aunt to many nieces and nephews. Born September 14, 1918 in Chicago. After working for several companies in Chicago, Sonia ran Leo's office for Pulsar Watch Midwest Service Center. She & Leo were members of St. Eugene Parish in Norridge for 50 years and more recently Sonia lived at Villa St. Benedict in Lisle for 14 years. Her passions included sewing, bridge, gardening and the Chicago Cubs. She is a past member of the Haute Couture Club of Chicago. Sonia died on October 15, 2020.

Sonia Kozlowski  was the second child of Katherine (Stanczyk) and Joseph Bablo who came to Chicago as young adults from a tiny village in south central Poland.  Sonia's father worked for Chicago Northwestern Railroad and her mother grew beautiful flowers, cooked fantastic meals and worked at night (as many Polish immigrant women did) cleaning offices downtown.

Sonia's best friend, Lucille Herre, lived next door on Wellington Avenue.  When Chicago decided to build the Kennedy Expressway, her parents had to sell their home and Sonia's beloved block and neighborhood were leveled.  Many years later, Sonia traveled to Florida to help Lucille celebrate her 90 ^th birthday!

The Bablos bought a 2-flat in the Belmont-Cragin neighborhood of Chicago.  Sonia graduated from Carl Schurz High School, worked in the office at Appleton Electric (where they loved her), learned how to sew, loved to draw, studied Polish at night, played bridge, took cooking classes at Francoise Pope and decided she wanted to work on North Michigan Avenue (which she did – for Alcoa.).

Sonia met her husband Leo at the wedding of his brother Ed to Charlotte. Leo's parents knew Sonia's; they came from a neighboring tiny village in Poland (later, granddaughters Violetta and Sylvia were born in another nearby village).  Leo and Sonia married on August 16, 1942.  A month later Leo was drafted and Sonia followed him to Syracuse and then to Coral Gables until he was shipped overseas to serve in the    Pacific in WWII.

Leo was a watchmaker and for most of his career had a shop in the Pittsfield Building in downtown Chicago, where Sonia worked with him for many years, running his office when they became the Midwest service center for Pulsar.  Prior to that she worked for Zenith Radio.  For fun, Sonia tended her garden, honed her sewing skills, joined the Haute Couture Club of Chicago and played in bridge groups with Leo. They loved bridge and the Cubs! Leo and Sonia enjoyed retirement until Leo's death in 2004.

Sonia moved to newly-built Villa St. Benedict in 2005 where she made many friends and was affectionately known as the Wii bowling queen! The highlight of 2018 was the celebration of Sonia's 100th birthday complete with a sit-down dinner for friends and family in the dining room at the Villa. Sonia was also very happy she could attend grandson Michael's graduation from USC.  In January 2019, following the repair of a broken hip, Sonia moved in with daughter Barbara and frequently saw her granddaughters Violetta and Sylvia and their dog, Bandit.  She enjoyed many visits with family, calls to Kay and Lee in Montana, trips to Church, restaurants and musical shows.  Her constant companions were the books on tape she enjoyed from the Library of Congress program for the blind (due to her macular degeneration).  She was always positive and upbeat and a delight to be with - right up to the end of her life!

Services & interment will be private at Maryhill Cemetery in Niles.

Memorials can be sent to the Northern Illinois Food Bank , 273 Dearborn Court, Geneva, IL 60134.