Lillian Foremny, 95, of Chester passed away on Friday December 16 at Crozer Chester Medical Center. She was born in Chester to the late Michael and Mary Mrozowski. She attended St. Hedwig's School, was a graduate of Chester High School and, at a time when few women even ventured to consider a college education, she attended Drexel University, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting in 1945. She was a top student throughout her academic career, and received many scholastic honors.
Lillian was predeceased by her Husband, Joseph Foremny (2012); Brother, Richard Mrozowski; and Sister, Mary Kedzierski. She is survived by her Sons Brian Foremny (Pamela) and Bruce Foremny (Diana); Grandchildren Gregory and Jonathan Foremny; Brother, Edwin Morrow; Dearest Friend, Susan DiCesare.
Her Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, December 21st at 10AM at St. Hedwig's Church, 2623 W. 4th St., Chester, PA. Friends and family are invited to her viewing on Tuesday evening 7-9PM and Wednesday morning 8:30-9:15AM at the Carr Funeral Home 935 S. Providence Rd. (Rte 320), Wallingford, PA. Burial will follow in Immaculate Heart of Mary Cemetery, Linwood, PA.
In lieu of flowers, in Lillian’s memory, please support St. Hedwig’s Parish and Chapel as Lillian strived to do during her entire life. Please send offerings to the St. Hedwig’s Maintenance Fund c/o Sacred Heart Parish, 316 E. Broadway Ave., Clifton Heights, PA 19018.
Lillian’s faith in God guided her through her life. In addition to being a lifelong parishioner of St. Hedwig’s Parish, she was an active member of the Fatima Society at St. Hedwig’s. As time passed and Lillian found it more difficult to venture out of the house to attend Mass in church, she attended her own service at home, never missing a day watching and praying along with Mass on television on the EWTN Network.
Lillian grew up in Mrozowski’s Grocery Store at 4th and Wilson Streets in Chester. She was a tireless worker in the store, actively involved in every aspect of the business. From this experience, she not only acquired a keen entrepreneurial spirit, but she also developed a compassionate understanding of how to work with people, which served her throughout her life. As a young girl, her father taught her how to prepare live chickens for market and he was amused by the terror in Lillian’s eyes when she saw her first fowl victim continue to run around on the basement floor after being beheaded. When Lillian turned fourteen years of age, her father, who was positively frightened by the prospect of driving a car, bought one of the first automobiles in the city and promoted Lillian to delivery driver. She transported groceries and other goods around Chester and Philadelphia learning quickly how to dodge hucksters with horse and wagon as well as trolley cars. The Mrozowki’s were a compassionate family and when times were rough the folks who couldn’t come up with two cents for a loaf of bread could depend on help at 4th and Wilson. Faith in God and Fellow Man was the driving force of the Mrozowski family and Lillian continued to carry these values with her until her final day.
Lillian formed a special life-long bond with and had enduring love for her maternal grandmother, Veronica Rosypal, who was always known as Babcia to every member of the family. When Lillian was a young girl, Babcia is known to have regularly and surreptitiously disappeared with her on secret odysseys. Lillian and Babcia were regular fixtures on Wilson Line Ferries whether they were day-tripping to Riverview Beach in Pennsville, NJ or visiting Rosypal cousins in Camden. Often they would continue from Camden to Atlantic City, reportedly by soliciting rides in automobiles with strangers who happened to be driving in that direction. Thank goodness Lillian’s mother never found out; Babcia really would have been in the doghouse then. Babcia lived with Lillian for most of Lillian’s adult life. For the last several years of Babcia’s life, Lillian attended to all of her needs with love and respect.
Lillian married Joseph Foremny on February 5, 1947 and drove for seven hours in a blinding snowstorm to honeymoon in the Pocono Mountains. Lillian was an aspiring young businesswoman and Joseph was a brilliant young chemical engineer. They were a power couple long before the phrase was coined.
After graduating from Drexel University, Lillian began a high school teaching career in Media, PA. She soon realized, though, that she had a penchant for the business world and would ultimately become a successful businesswoman and entrepreneur at a time when this was not a common or even acceptable role for a woman. Lillian moved through the ranks first as an accountant for Stotter’s, a major department store in Chester, then on to become the accounting and office manager for John R. Hanna and Sons, an important and prominent construction firm in Chester and in the region. Here she learned to understand the construction business and, in 1960, ventured out to co-found her own civil engineering and construction firm, Engineering Services and Construction Company of Chester. The company was operated from offices in Lillian’s home, so she was always available to be wife, mother, daughter and grand-daughter to all of the residents of the house.
In the Polish community in Chester the Pulaski Day Parade was a great source of pride. Along with her colleagues at the University Club, of which Lillian was an officer, Lillian played a significant role in the success of this annual parade and celebration. She and Joseph were proud parents when they watched their son, Brian, ride on horseback through the city streets of Chester in traditional Polish garb along with the daughter of another University Club officer, representing the Polish culture in the Pulaski Day Parade.
Lillian loved Ocean City, New Jersey and resided there part-time most of her life. Nothing could keep Lillian from the beach on a cold winter’s day nor from the Drift-In-And-Sea, her favorite shop on the boardwalk. Lillian also loved Florida and often spent winter in Hallandale and West Palm Beach.
Lillian was a determined businesswoman and entrepreneur. In 1966 she joined her brother Edwin in owning and operating the Upland Boat Works on the Chester River in Upland, PA. Later, Lillian was co-owner of the Sandbar Restaurant and Night Club in Marmora, NJ, just outside Ocean City. Lillian worked hard and long hours at the Sandbar lending her considerable skills as a chef to this establishment. Summertimes saw a huge increase in business and many young ladies of college age joined the staff as summer waitresses. Lillian often housed these young girls in her own properties in Ocean City and looked over them like a mother. Lillian not only fed them regularly, but also tirelessly counseled them to maintain their dignity and also, by example, encouraged them to maintain their faith in God.
Lillian, with her husband Joseph by her side, constantly and religiously cared for her infirmed mother in their home for over ten years through the 1990s. Lillian loved her mother dearly and would not allow her to be without excellent and proper care for even a moment.
Lillian had a fun-loving relationship with her Grandsons Gregory and Jonathan and inspired both of them to pursue their dreams.
Countless nieces and nephews looked upon Lillian as a second mother. They could always count on Lillian to help them in oh so many ways and always knew that, by example, Lillian would show them the way.
Lillian was predeceased by her Husband, Joseph Foremny (2012); Brother, Richard Mrozowski; and Sister, Mary Kedzierski. She is survived by her Sons Brian Foremny (Pamela) and Bruce Foremny (Diana); Grandchildren Gregory and Jonathan Foremny; Brother, Edwin Morrow; Dearest Friend, Susan DiCesare.
Her Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, December 21st at 10AM at St. Hedwig's Church, 2623 W. 4th St., Chester, PA. Friends and family are invited to her viewing on Tuesday evening 7-9PM and Wednesday morning 8:30-9:15AM at the Carr Funeral Home 935 S. Providence Rd. (Rte 320), Wallingford, PA. Burial will follow in Immaculate Heart of Mary Cemetery, Linwood, PA.
In lieu of flowers, in Lillian’s memory, please support St. Hedwig’s Parish and Chapel as Lillian strived to do during her entire life. Please send offerings to the St. Hedwig’s Maintenance Fund c/o Sacred Heart Parish, 316 E. Broadway Ave., Clifton Heights, PA 19018.
Lillian’s faith in God guided her through her life. In addition to being a lifelong parishioner of St. Hedwig’s Parish, she was an active member of the Fatima Society at St. Hedwig’s. As time passed and Lillian found it more difficult to venture out of the house to attend Mass in church, she attended her own service at home, never missing a day watching and praying along with Mass on television on the EWTN Network.
Lillian grew up in Mrozowski’s Grocery Store at 4th and Wilson Streets in Chester. She was a tireless worker in the store, actively involved in every aspect of the business. From this experience, she not only acquired a keen entrepreneurial spirit, but she also developed a compassionate understanding of how to work with people, which served her throughout her life. As a young girl, her father taught her how to prepare live chickens for market and he was amused by the terror in Lillian’s eyes when she saw her first fowl victim continue to run around on the basement floor after being beheaded. When Lillian turned fourteen years of age, her father, who was positively frightened by the prospect of driving a car, bought one of the first automobiles in the city and promoted Lillian to delivery driver. She transported groceries and other goods around Chester and Philadelphia learning quickly how to dodge hucksters with horse and wagon as well as trolley cars. The Mrozowki’s were a compassionate family and when times were rough the folks who couldn’t come up with two cents for a loaf of bread could depend on help at 4th and Wilson. Faith in God and Fellow Man was the driving force of the Mrozowski family and Lillian continued to carry these values with her until her final day.
Lillian formed a special life-long bond with and had enduring love for her maternal grandmother, Veronica Rosypal, who was always known as Babcia to every member of the family. When Lillian was a young girl, Babcia is known to have regularly and surreptitiously disappeared with her on secret odysseys. Lillian and Babcia were regular fixtures on Wilson Line Ferries whether they were day-tripping to Riverview Beach in Pennsville, NJ or visiting Rosypal cousins in Camden. Often they would continue from Camden to Atlantic City, reportedly by soliciting rides in automobiles with strangers who happened to be driving in that direction. Thank goodness Lillian’s mother never found out; Babcia really would have been in the doghouse then. Babcia lived with Lillian for most of Lillian’s adult life. For the last several years of Babcia’s life, Lillian attended to all of her needs with love and respect.
Lillian married Joseph Foremny on February 5, 1947 and drove for seven hours in a blinding snowstorm to honeymoon in the Pocono Mountains. Lillian was an aspiring young businesswoman and Joseph was a brilliant young chemical engineer. They were a power couple long before the phrase was coined.
After graduating from Drexel University, Lillian began a high school teaching career in Media, PA. She soon realized, though, that she had a penchant for the business world and would ultimately become a successful businesswoman and entrepreneur at a time when this was not a common or even acceptable role for a woman. Lillian moved through the ranks first as an accountant for Stotter’s, a major department store in Chester, then on to become the accounting and office manager for John R. Hanna and Sons, an important and prominent construction firm in Chester and in the region. Here she learned to understand the construction business and, in 1960, ventured out to co-found her own civil engineering and construction firm, Engineering Services and Construction Company of Chester. The company was operated from offices in Lillian’s home, so she was always available to be wife, mother, daughter and grand-daughter to all of the residents of the house.
In the Polish community in Chester the Pulaski Day Parade was a great source of pride. Along with her colleagues at the University Club, of which Lillian was an officer, Lillian played a significant role in the success of this annual parade and celebration. She and Joseph were proud parents when they watched their son, Brian, ride on horseback through the city streets of Chester in traditional Polish garb along with the daughter of another University Club officer, representing the Polish culture in the Pulaski Day Parade.
Lillian loved Ocean City, New Jersey and resided there part-time most of her life. Nothing could keep Lillian from the beach on a cold winter’s day nor from the Drift-In-And-Sea, her favorite shop on the boardwalk. Lillian also loved Florida and often spent winter in Hallandale and West Palm Beach.
Lillian was a determined businesswoman and entrepreneur. In 1966 she joined her brother Edwin in owning and operating the Upland Boat Works on the Chester River in Upland, PA. Later, Lillian was co-owner of the Sandbar Restaurant and Night Club in Marmora, NJ, just outside Ocean City. Lillian worked hard and long hours at the Sandbar lending her considerable skills as a chef to this establishment. Summertimes saw a huge increase in business and many young ladies of college age joined the staff as summer waitresses. Lillian often housed these young girls in her own properties in Ocean City and looked over them like a mother. Lillian not only fed them regularly, but also tirelessly counseled them to maintain their dignity and also, by example, encouraged them to maintain their faith in God.
Lillian, with her husband Joseph by her side, constantly and religiously cared for her infirmed mother in their home for over ten years through the 1990s. Lillian loved her mother dearly and would not allow her to be without excellent and proper care for even a moment.
Lillian had a fun-loving relationship with her Grandsons Gregory and Jonathan and inspired both of them to pursue their dreams.
Countless nieces and nephews looked upon Lillian as a second mother. They could always count on Lillian to help them in oh so many ways and always knew that, by example, Lillian would show them the way.