Plainfield woman hosts socially distant celebration for grandmother’s 104th birthday

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, a very special, socially distant birthday celebration took place at Margaret Kantor’s Plainfield home on Wednesday.

Kantor’s grandmother Marianna Zukowski of Crest Hill turned 104 on Wednesday. Kantor ensured the birthday was a festive one, complete with signs and friends and family in the yard singing, “Happy birthday.”

Consequently, Zukowski felt like a celebrity, Kantor said.

“She couldn’t believe I was making such a big deal,” Kantor said. “She was overwhelmed by everyone singing to her. She couldn’t believe this many people wanted to be there for her.”

Kantor and her mother Harriet Rackiewicz of Crest Hill marveled at Zukowski’s strength and ability to endure. Born in Poland and separated from her family during World War II, Zukowski has lived through both world wars, two pandemics and even had emergency surgery for pancreatitis shortly before her 103rd birthday.

Kantor said the nurses called Zukowski their “adorable Polish lady” and Zukowski even flirted with her doctor, calling him, “such a handsome young doctor.”

“She’s just angry at COVID because it keeps us away sometimes,” Kantor said. “But we always take that extra precaution with her.”

Kantor said when Germany attacked Poland, Zukowski was forced to go to Germany and work on a farm there.

“But she loved the people she worked for,” Kantor said. “She was lucky not to end up in a concentration camp. She was always thankful for that.”

Rackiewicz said Zukowski met her husband in Germany; he worked on another farm. They were married in Germany and returned to Poland after World War II. They had three daughters, Rackiewicz being one of them.

“My dad was a tailor,” Rackiewicz said. “We lived in a small town, about two hours away from a big city.”

The family, except for the oldest daughter, who had married, came to the U.S. in 1963 when Rackiewicz was 14. The family settled in Chicago near relatives.

“They decided to bring us here for a better life,” Rackiewicz said.

Eventually the family moved to Burbank. Rackiewicz got married and moved to Homer Glen. Kantor moved to Plainfield after she got married. Zukowski’s husband died 16 years ago. Seven years ago, Zukowski moved into Rackiewicz’s current home in Crest Hill.

“It was easier for her,” Kantor said. “There’s no stairs.”

Zukowski brought her family to Poland to visit relatives when Kantor was in the third grade. Kantor saw firsthand what her grandmother meant when she said airports in Poland were not like airports in the U.S.

The airport was in the middle of a field and soldiers were everywhere, Kantor said. She recalled holding Zukowski’s hand and thinking, “Oh, my God, where did you take me?”

But Kantor wound up having a wonderful time and met relatives on both sides of her extended family.

“It was amazing to see family and aunts and uncles and the countryside and the cityside,” Kantor said. “It was a trip I’ll always remember.”

These days, Zukowski is enjoying a low-key life of watching TV, napping and giving commentaries of the sights beyond her window.

Kantor gave a few examples: ‘It’s snowing; nobody is going by.” “Oh, oh! There’s a fox!” Look at the birds!” “Look at that rabbit!”

“She wants to be a part of everything,” Kantor said.

Kantor surmises that’s the reason for Zukowski’s long life. Because Zukowski can’t bear the thought of not being present for the next wedding, the next grandchild’s birth. And to help keep her going, Kantor reminds her of every upcoming milestone.

“She’ll say, ‘If I can make it for that, I’ll be good,’” Kantor said. “And then I give her something else to look forward to.”