Maria Antonina KAWERNINSKI

KAWERNINSKI, Maria Antonina
Maria Antonina Kawerninski was born in Poznan, Poland January 29, 1922. One of four sisters, she was raised in a loving extended family of many uncles and aunts and grandparents. In her 16th year, the Second World War broke out before she could finish her schooling. In spite of this she surreptitiously finished her schooling in Krakow. She took a very active role in the Polish resistance and fought valiantly in the Warsaw Uprising. After the uprising failed, she spent a year in a prisoner-of-war camp forming many friendships that lasted throughout her life. For her courage and valor, she attained the rank of Sub-Lieutenant in both the Polish Army and the Polish Navy. Among her many awards, in 2001 she was personally awarded by the president of Poland the special status of "Veteran of the Battles of Freedom of her Country." In 1947 she met and married the love of her life, a dashing, much decorated naval officer Leopold Kawerninski. In 1950, uprooting themselves from family and country, with a young son, Michael, they immigrated to Canada. As refugees they chose Canada for its promise of freedom and opportunity. Ending up in Ottawa, Monica (her wartime pseudonym) had a successful career for 27 years working for the NRC in cosmic ray research and computer programming. She and her family were a vital part of a large expatriate Polish community for over 60 years. She was widowed in 1988. She remained very active, continuing to spend every summer at her cottage in Barry's Bay, Ont. up to a month before her death; socializing, going for walks, swimming and picking mushrooms. On January 3, 2017, she died suddenly at the age of 94, three weeks before her 95th birthday. She left a legacy of courage, integrity, resolution, loyalty, and love. She is survived by her sister Ola, her son Michael and grandchildren Anya and Jeremie and countless nieces and nephews in Poland. She will be terribly missed by all of us. Funeral Mass will be Celebrated at Saint Hyacinth Roman Catholic Polish Church, Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at 11 a.m.