Anna Karczewska-Nabelek died at the age of 81 on May 2, 2015. Anna was born on March 1, 1934 in Warsaw, Poland. She was preceded in death by her brother Andrzej, who died in World War II, parents Irena and Zbignew Karczewski, and her husband Igor Nabelek. She is survived by her stepsons, John and Peter, their spouses, Anne and Carol, and grandsons Marc, Patrik, Daniel, and Thomas, and by her cousins in Poland. Anna graduated with a Ph.D. degree in acoustics from the Technical University in Warsaw in 1959. She worked in Warsaw until 1966 at the Polish Academy of Sciences. Anna married Igor during that year and moved to Bratislava, Slovakia, where she worked at the Slovak Academy of Sciences. In 1967, she and Igor were invited to be Visiting Scholars at the Central Institute for the Deaf in St. Louis. To escape communism in Central Europe, the whole family decided to remain in the United States. Anna obtained a fellowship at Gallaudet College for the Deaf in Washington, D.C., followed by a year at the Veterans Administration Hospital. In 1973, Anna and Igor moved to Knoxville, which they made their home for rest of their lives. Anna became a Research Professor at the University of Tennessee in the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology, where she worked until her retirement. Although she suffered from severe rheumatoid arthritis for several decades, she became recognized worldwide for her research on hearing. For her contributions to research and mentoring of students, she was given awards by the University of Tennessee and the American Association of Retired People. She was an honorary fellow of the Acoustical Society of America and the American Speech, Language, and Hearing Association. Anna enjoyed arts and was a member of the Knoxville Opera Guild and a supporter of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. Anna was a member of local Catholic parishes, was a benefactor for construction of the St. John Neumann Church and School, and a supporter of several charitable organizations. A Memorial Mass for Anna will be held at the Sacred Heart Cathedral Saturday May 9, 2015 at 11:00 AM, Father David Boettner officiating. Following the Mass, the family will receive friends in the Shea Room of the Parish Offices. Her ashes will be interred in her family grave in Poland. Condolences may be offered at www.highlandmemorialknoxville.com
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