Franz I. Dyduch

In the city of Myslowice, Oberschlesien, Poland, Franz Ignatz Lodek was born to Mathilde Lodek on October 3, 1918. As a child, he was surrounded with love by his grandparent?s Johann Lodek and Oma Konieczny/Lodek and many aunts and uncles.

When Franz was about two years old, his mother, Mathilde married watchmaker Johann Jan Dyduch, who became his stepfather and adopted Franz as his son, giving Franz his surname Dyduch.

Franz was an energetic child and had difficulty sitting still in a school room setting. His curious nature led him to taking things apart to see what made them work and enjoyed playing active sports, especially soccer. He also enjoyed socializing with the miners in the community, as mining was a major industry in and around Myslowice.

His mother, Mathilde, nurtured and ensured Franz?s spiritual growth in the Catholic religion and an appreciation for the culinary arts. It was important to Mathilde, that her son be educated about God and give reverence to Him. Secondly, she felt important for Franz to learn about meal preparation. She approached this teaching with the philosophy, ?If you plan to eat the meal, then you give some of your time to help prepare the meal.? This proved to be a good bonding time between mother and son, as well as developing knowledge of food preparation. Through this experience, he developed an enjoyment of cooking and was able to share his mother?s recipes with his own future family.

Even though Franz was an only child, he had many cousins. His Aunt Agatha Wadowski, sister of Mathilde, had over twenty children. During summer vacation, he would travel by train to their home and spend several weeks with his aunt, uncle and cousins. It was a very enjoyable time and left him with fond memories.

As Franz became older and it was time for Franz to learn a trade, his stepfather, Johann, asked him to help out with his watchmaking business. There he learned about watch repair; but the watchmaking trade was not challenging enough for Franz, and the job did not provide fulfillment for his active adventurous spirit.

When the watchmaker trade did not work out for Franz, he was asked to join his stepfather?s brother, and help with his trucking business. This was a job that Franz enjoyed, as it complimented his adventurous nature, and afforded him the opportunity to travel to countries all over Europe. He worked with his uncle, until the unrest escalated in Europe with the onset of World War II. Franz then decided that he wanted to learn the trade of becoming a barber and attended Barber School in Germany. Shortly before graduation from Barber School, World War II had broken out and he found himself living in an encampment with other non-German foreigners. It was a time of working outside the encampment in the iron mines during the day and a tight curfew and encampment at night.

During his travels, Franz learned that he had a knack and an ear for learning languages and learned to converse in five languages. He also had a keen ear for music, as Franz could pick up and play a harmonica or an accordian, or play tunes on a piano, without the benefit of a music lesson.

Soccer was an important and enjoyable recreational sport in Franz?s life at this point. He played on a league and played in tournaments in many villages in the surrounding area.

While working in the iron mines near the village of Gitter, he met his future wife, Elfriede Franke. They were married in a civil ceremony in Gitter, Niedersachsen, Germany on November 3, 1951. Two daughters, Mathilde and Monika were born to them.

In November of 1955, Franz and his family immigrated to the United States. The trip across the Atlantic Ocean started with boarding the U.S.S. General W. C. Langfitt, in the port of Bremerhaven. The ship was used to transport military personnel to Germany and on their return trip to the U.S.A., transported immigrants. The ocean crossing was treacherous, due to storms, and took longer than anticipated, as the ship was taking in water, with a possibility of sinking. The women and children were ordered to their shared cabins to put on life vests and wait for further orders, while the male passengers were locked in down below, with ship personnel guarding the door with guns. Fortunately for the passengers, the ship?s crew were able to fix the problem and on the fifteenth day of the voyage, all passengers were allowed on deck to see the Statue of Liberty as they approached New York Harbor. From New York, the family rode a train to Chicago and from there onto the final destination of Seattle.

Finding employment for a non-English speaking man, was not easy. Franz found his first employment with St. Vincent D?Paul, repairing other people?s cast-off appliances that needed repair for resale. He earned a reputation for reviving broken washers and dryers, which created a profit for St. Vincent D?Paul.

As Franz met and befriended more people, he learned of a job opening at Langendorf Bakery and was ready for a job change. He was hired to maintain the bakery?s equipment and keep it running. The job lasted 11 years, when it was decided to close that plant.

Two more daughters were born to Franz and Elfriede between 1957 and 1961, named Regina and Christina.

Knowing that Franz was jobless, a neighbor approached him about a possible job offer. She was looking for someone to replace her father, as a handyman at Consolidated Freightways, so that he could finally retire. She knew that Franz was a ?Jack of all Trades?, and had the skills needed to fill the job. An interview took place, which led to Franz getting the job at C.F. Franz remained with Consolidated Freightways until his retirement.

Over the years, Franz has been an avid bicyclist, for he believed it was a good source of exercise and transportation. His bicycle, which he referred to as his ?Yabba..dabba..doo? was outfitted with saddle bags, lights, and a radio and a holder for his fishing pole. Fishing was a relaxing sport for him, and he enjoyed the times of solitude that a fishing trip entailed.

Franz was a man with many natural gifts and talents, which he used to build a home for his wife and children; and help his friends when called upon. Whether it was giving a free haircut out in his workshop, fixing a broken appliance, or going to someone?s home to remodel a room for them, he was there to lend a hand or oversee a job. He was a man who strived for perfection, gave more than was asked of him and had good work ethics. More importantly, he had a tender heart.

Franz loved his wife and children, yet adored his grandchildren. When it came to the grandchildren, he always made sure there were special times with them. Whether it was giving them a wheel barrow ride, showing them magic tricks, or a cooking lesson in the kitchen, he was a grandfather that touched the hearts of his grandchildren.

As a mortal man, he believed in God and the power of prayer. At bedtime, every night, he would recite the Lord?s prayer and ask God to bless his children and grandchildren and keep them safe.

On April 23, 2003, Franz Ignatz Dyduch left this earth to be with His Father in Heaven.