SALEM- Wanda M. (Siemiontkowski) Walczak, 100, wife of the late William J. Walczak, of Peabody, formerly of Salem, died Sunday morning, August 18, 2002 at the Rosewood Nursing Center, in Peabody.
Born in Salem, she was the daughter of the late Francis & Anna (Sobocinski) Siemiontkowski.
Prior to her retirement in 1967, she was employed as a bookkeeper at Pickering Fuel in Salem. She later returned to work and retired again from Fermon Leather in Peabody in 1974. In her early years, she owned and operated her own business, Advance Millinery Shop, located on Washington Street in Salem.
A lifelong resident of Salem until moving to Peabody in the mid 1990's, she was a member of the Salem School Committee from 1948 through 1951. Mrs Walczak was the first woman of Polish heritage to be elected to School Committee and was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention in the early 1950's. A “political activist” of her day, she taught Polish women to become American citizens, and served as an interpreter in Boston, as ships were bringing in displaced persons to America after WWII.
She was a president of the Mass. Federation of Polish Women’s Clubs, member of the Women’s Polish American Citizens Club of Salem and the Polish Women’s Business and Professional Club of Greater Boston. She was president of the AARP, Salem chapter, and a lifelong parishioner of the St John The Baptist Church, Salem.
She is survived by one son, Norman Walczak and his wife Mary Catherine of Peabody, one daughter, Lydia Mattei of Chelmsford, and two grandchildren, Gregory C. Mattei of Chelmsford and Daniel R. Mattei of Lowell.
A funeral mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, August 21, 2002 at 10 am at the St John The Baptist Church, 28 St Peter St., Salem. Relatives and friends respectfully invited. Burial will be private. There are no visiting hours. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in her memory to the American Heart Association, 20 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701. Arrangements by the Full-Spychalski Funeral Home, 84 Washington Square East, by Salem Common, Salem. For guest book and directions, visit www.SalemFuneral.com.