Czeslawa Janowski

Czeslawa Janowski, a Woman of Resilience and Grace, Passes at 98
Czeslawa Janowski, a beloved mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, passed away peacefully on 17 August, 2025 at the age of 98 in Sterling Heights, Michigan. Born Czeslawa Zyskowska in Grajewo, Poland on 04 February 1927, her life was a testament to strength, perseverance, and the enduring power of love and family.
Czeslawa's early life in Poland was marked by the upheaval and tragedy of World War II. She was just 12 years old when the invading army burned down her village. They sent her, along with many young people to work on their farms and in their factories. Having survived the war, she attracted the eye of another young Polish survivor, Jozef Janowski, who was working with the allies to relocate the millions of displaced civilians. They married and started a family, before being granted passage to the United States.
They came to the U.S. with very little other than hope but managed to adapt and build a good life. She was the devoted mother of her three children, Bogumila (Joseph) Kwapisz, Teresa (John) Ocholik, and Waldemar (Katherine) Janowski, instilling in them the values of hard work, the importance of family, and the love of Polish cooking. She is also survived by her grandchildren Katherine Swelstad, Michael Kwapisz, Thomas Ocholik, Joey Janowski and Jake Janowski and by great grandchildren Roman and Oliver Swelstad & Julian and Remy Kwapisz. She will be deeply missed for the love, the respect for tradition, and the "old-world wisdom" she shared with all our family.
A funeral service to celebrate her life will be held at Wujek – Calcaterra Funeral Home, 36900 Schoenherr, Sterling Heights 48312 on Saturday August 23rd at 11:00 a.m.