Pauline A. Kobida

April 25, 1938 – January 13, 2025
Pauline Ann Kobida passed away peacefully in her home on January 13th, 2025. She was born on April 25, 1938 at Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago, the firstborn of identical twins, followed by her sister Priscilla just minutes later. She, along with Priscilla and their brother Mitchell, was the beloved child of Rudolph and Pauline Lange.
Pauline grew up in the Mayfair Park neighborhood on the northwest side of Chicago, where she attended Mayfair Grammar School and Schurz High School. A devoted member of the youth group at Trinity Slovak Lutheran Church, it was there, at the age of 14, that she met the love of her life, Joe.
In 1959, Pauline and Joe, along with her sister Priscilla and her husband Bill, were married in a rare double wedding on their 21st birthday. The young couple soon settled in the Edison Park neighborhood, where they began to build their family. In the years that followed, Pauline and Joe, with their children Mike and Carol, embraced the traditional family life of the 1960s-while Joe spent his career working for Illinois Bell, Pauline dedicated herself to raising their children.
Pauline was a woman of many talents, one of those being competitive bowling. Alongside her sister Priscilla, they became a formidable team in the 1960s and 1970s, earning numerous league championships and consistently securing the top two highest average scores.
Pauline will be fondly remembered by her family and friends for the many ways she shared her love and warmth: her homemade strawberry jelly, her knitted scarves, her famously delicious pies, sharing books with other avid readers, and the hours spent working on puzzles with her granddaughter, Amy. She was a constant presence at her grandchildren's sporting events, always there to offer unwavering encouragement and support. She cherished vacations spent at Twin Lakes and shared a special bond with her beloved dogs: Mimi, Molly, Macy, and the caboose, Princess Ellie Mae.
One of the things Pauline and Joe enjoyed most together was hunting for treasures at garage sales. It seemed there was always a special find; just the right item, handpicked for someone they loved. Their passion for treasure hunting became a symbol of Pauline's generous and selfless nature. It was never about her, it was always about giving to others.
Pauline was the devoted wife of Joseph M. Kobida Jr., loving mother of Michael (Eileen) Kobida and Carol (Scott) Moriarty, and cherished grandmother of Amy, Ryan, Michael Jr. (Rachael), Kaitlyn (Eryk) Fundakowski, Connor, and Megan. She was the dear sister of Priscilla (William) Fick and Mitchell Lange, a loving aunt to many nieces and nephews, and a dear friend to all who knew her.
Her legacy of love, kindness, and generosity will live on in the hearts of those who had the privilege of knowing her.
Visitation will be held Saturday, January 18th at St. Peter Lutheran Church, 202 E. Schaumburg Rd., Schaumburg, IL at 10:00am, to be immediately followed by a Celebration of Life service at 11:00am.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: JourneyCare Hospice Hope Fund. Checks in Pauline's name may be sent to: 405 Lake Zurich Road, Barrington, IL 60010.