Sally B. Swiech

Visitation will be March 10 from 4-8 p.m. at Glueckert Funeral Home, 1520 N. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, Illinois. Funeral mass will be 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 11, in St. Edna Catholic Church, 2525 N. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, Illinois. Visitation will be one hour before the mass.

Sally was born Jan. 23, 1928, in Chicago to Frank and Sofie Madej. Like many first-generation Polish Americans at that time, she grew up in poverty but didn’t know it because she was surrounded by family, the Polish Catholic community and love.

As a teenager, she worked in a factory, then attended Wright Junior College. She was a professional secretary for 10 years with Montgomery Ward. As an Executive Secretary, she reported directly to the VP of Engineering.

She met Edward Swiech when they were both choir members at St. John Cantius Church in Chicago. They married May 3, 1958. Mom curtailed her career to raise John, Paul, Mary and Ann. Later, she returned to the workforce as a parish secretary at St. Priscilla Catholic Church in Chicago, where she labored in love for many years.

Sally was about helping the other person – her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, relatives, parishioners and frequently people she didn’t even know. She was active in the St. Priscilla Altar and Rosary Society (later the Women’s Club), Home and School and other organizations in Chicago. She was a reader at church for many years.

After Dad became a deacon with the Archdiocese of Chicago, mom and dad led baptismal classes, marriage prep and helped wherever needed, especially when no one was looking. Her primary ministry as part of a deacon couple with Dad was ministry of the sick and dying something she was exceptional at. 

Survivors include John and Judy Swiech of Prospect Heights, Illinois, Paul Swiech and Kay Shipman-Swiech of Bloomington, Illinois, and Mary and Greg Miller and Ann Swiech, all of Pensacola, Florida.

Eight grandchildren: Jessi Reid Swiech (Brie Reid), Evan Swiech, Carolyn Harmening (Josh Harmening), David Miller, Thomas Miller, Katherine Brigham (Charlie Brigham), Joe Swiech and Margaret Swiech; and three great-grandchildren Austin Brigham, Noah Yuroff and Lilliana Harmening. Preceding her in death were her loving husband, Edward, and her son-in-law Joe Zboralski.

Sally never made it about herself. If you wish to honor Sally, rather than a monetary gift, do something kind for someone else, especially someone who is less fortunate or is having a hard time. Bonus points if your kindness is unexpected and no one else knows about it, if you are breaking down society’s artificial barriers based on race, ethnicity and sexuality. Be like Sally.