Walter K. Lewkowski and Anna Scheffki (Szewka) and family.

Walter was born May 5, 1885 in Bialystok Poland to Frank Lewkowski and Victoria Poplawski. 

Walter had 3 brothers and 3 sisters. Two of his sisters lived in Poland and one lived in Calumet City. One of the sister's in Poland was Apolina or Apolonia Citko. The sister who lived in Calumet City was Mrs. Bernice Waclawek; she died on August 14, 1963. Two of his brothers lived in Poland and one lived in Calumet City. His brother in Calumet City was Anthony Lewkowski; he died in July of 1936. His obituary reads:

Anthony Lewkowski, 62, of 542-156th Street, Calumet City, died yesterday at 4:00 pm in St. Margaret's hospital of peritonitis following an operation.

Surviving are his widow, Martha; two daughters, Mrs. Phelia Mehler and Miss Loretta Lewkowski; three sons, Paul, Henry and Louis; two grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Monday at 9:00 am at St. Andrew's church. The Rev. Joseph Sehmke will officiate and burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery.

Bernice Waclawek's obituary reads:

Mrs. Bernice Waclawek, 71, of 864 Mackinaw Ave., Calumet City died Wednesday in St. Margaret's Hospital. She was a member of the Rosary Society and Apostleship of Prayer of St. Andrew Church and the Polish Women's Alliance Group, 31.

Mrs. Waclawek is survived by her husband, Michael; three sons, Aloysius of Calumet City; Joseph of Whiting, and Anthony of Lansing; eight daughters, Mrs. Virginia Wikar, Mrs. Rita Alexander, and Lillian, Victoria and Madeline Waclawek, all of Calumet City, Mrs. Ann Struzik of Whiting, and Mrs. Marian Booth and Mrs. Elsie Granknecht, both of Chicago; a brother Walter Lewkowski of Hammond; a sister Apolina Citko in Poland; 14 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

Services will be held at 9:30 am Monday in the Czechanski Funeral Home, 248 155th Pl., Calumet City. The Rev. Edward Krakowski will sing the mass at 10:00 am in St. Andrew Church. Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery.

Walter started his own ice and coal business in Calumet City.  Later, he worked at Johnson Coal and Ice Co. in Hammond, Indiana. He was listed as a teamster in the 1910 census and a truck driver on his naturalization papers. 

According to Walter's naturalization papers, 1947, he had blue eyes, light brown hair, a dark complexion was 5 feet 10 inches and weighed 170 pounds.

According to his Petition for Naturalization,  No. 18537, he arrived in the United States 7/1/01 in Baltimore Maryland.  I could not find any ships arriving on that day in July.  Did find some for 7/3/01 from Bremen Germany.  Could not read the records, illegible. His mother sent him to the United States to avoid draft into the Russian Army.  Cossacks used to jump the fence of their city. The United States Federal Census for 1910 shows that Walter came to the United States in 1902.

Walter married Anna (Helena) A. Scheffki or Szewka on February 4, 1908 in St. Andrews Church, Calumet City, IL.  

Anna's father was Frank Scheffki (Franz Scheffke) or Szewka and mother Bertha Lessner or Leznar. Frank died a short time after coming to the United States. Bertha married Michael Trzebiatowski in 1890.  Bertha and her family probably came to the United States between 1886 and 1888.

Anna was born in Chicago IL on 10-27-1888.  

Walter and Anna's children were:

1. Helen born 11/21/08 baptized 11/22/08

2. Florence or Florian born 6-18-10 in Calumet City, IL lived in Hammond, IN. She married Peter Burdalak born 4/29/1901 and died July 1981. Florence died December 2, 1992.

3. Celia born 6-16-1912 in Calumet City, IL lived in Calumet City baptized June 23, 1912.  She married Albert Barda who was born October 21, 1909 and Died July 1979.  They lived at 238-158th Place in Calumet City.

4. Andrew born 6-7-1915 in Calumet City, IL lived in East Chicago, baptized June 9, 1915 Andrew died December 1971.

5. Walter born 2-11-1918 in Calumet City, IL lived in Calumet City, IL, baptized February 17, 1918. Walter died February 1, 1998 at his home of cancer.

6. Rita born 01-14-21 in Calumet City, IL lived in Calumet City, IL. Rita married Frank Mikals. He was born 4/2/1917 and died 10-12, 1997.

7. Robert born 5-19-1928  Calumet City, IL lived in Hammond, IN. Robert died October 1971.

4. Andrew married Helena Lukawska June 13, 1936 St. Stans East Chicago, IN

5. Walter John married Margaret Reynolds on April 26, 1941 at St. Andrews church in Calumet City, IL.

In 1935 and 1936 Anna and Walter lived at 238 154th Place in Calumet City, IL. The children living with them in 1935 were Cecilia T, employed at W.B.Conkey Co., Andrew, laborer and Walter J, laborer according to the 1935 Hammond City Directory.

Walter died May 12, 1977 at Little Company of Mary Health Facility, San Pierre, Indiana.  He is buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Hammond Indiana lot J4.

 

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