Margaret H. "Atko" Atkociunas

PLEASE ALLOW ME TO GIVE EVERYONE A BRIEF LIFE HISTORY OF MY MOM. HER PARENTS CAME FROM POLAND, MY GRANDFATHER COMING OVER FIRST, MY GRANDMOTHER FOLLOWING SHORTLY AFTER. HIS FIRST JOB DIDN'T PAY MUCH, ONLY 50 CENTS A WEEK. (REMEMBER THIS WAS 1905.) MOM WAS FROM A FAMILY OF 12. WHEN SHE STARTED GRAMMAR SCHOOL, SHE SPOKE NO ENGLISH, ONLY POLISH. LEARNING ENGLISH FROM HER TEACHERS IN SCHOOL. SHE WENT TO LINDBLOM HIGH SCHOOL, GRADUATING IN 1936. SHE WAS A VERY INTELLIGENT PERSON, BUT UNFORTUNATELY...

DEAR MOM, WORDS CAN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU. YOU HAVE KNOWN ME FOR 32 YEARS. (MORE THAN HALF MY LIFE) YOU WERE ALWAYS THERE FOR ME WHEN I NEEDED A HELPING HAND A SHOULDER TO CRY ON OR JUST FOR YOU TO LISTEN TO ME. YOU WERE A MOM TO ME. I COULD TELL YOU ANYTHING AND YOU NEVER JUDGED ME. YOU ALWAYS TRIED TO HELP. YOU ALWAYS TOLD ME I WAS THE DAUGHTER YOU NEVER HAD, YOU WERE THE MOM I NEVER HAD. I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART AND AT THE MOMENT IT IS BROKEN. I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU...

Dear Grandma,
Just wanted to say thank you so much for everything you have done for me. You have treated your grandsons like no one ever did. You were there for us numerous times when no one else was. You showed what the true meaning of "grandma" was. From the gaining 5lbs every weekend sleeping over at your house, to the long talks in your kitchen, telling me all about the history of our family, and as well as showing me the unconditional love. Words alone cannot express how hard...