Romualda "Remmie" M. Dzwilewski

Longmeadow - On January 26, Romualda (Remmie Falkowski) Dzwilewski died peacefully at home surrounded by people that she loved and who loved her. Born on December 16, 1923 at home to Joseph Falkowski and Sophia (Osinski) in Suffield CT, Remmie grew up a farmer’s daughter with her five sisters and two brothers, Stella Zieminski, Dorothy Hyjek, Gladys Gminski, Celia Polek, Adolph Falkowski, Walter Falkowski (all predeceased) and the baby of the family, Eleanor and Judge Thomas Ragno. The Falkowski’s finally settled on Hill Street on property now owned by Suffield Academy. It was a beautiful farm and an idyllic place to grow up. Today Suffield Academy has, appropriately enough, a meditation center on the site of the original farmhouse. Remmie’s first job was during WW2 at what is now known as Bradley Field. Remmie was asked to interrupt her senior year of high school to work to support the war effort. She would ride her bike the five miles to the airfield and perform clerical duties on the military base. Upon her arrival she was met and escorted to her post because, unknown to the local populous, German POWs were kept at the base, and Remmie had to walk by them! She was sworn to secrecy and could tell no one they were there. After the war Remmie met the love of her life, and partner for 52 years before his death in 1999, Walter Dzwilewski. Wally had met Remmie years before at the dances that were held at Riverside Park and he knew Remmie’s older sisters. Having been deployed to Italy, it had been a few years since Walter had been to the dances and upon this occasion he was known to have exclaimed to Remmie’s sisters ‘Wow Remmie has really grown up’. They Fell in love and were married in May 3rd 1947. Remmie and Walter built their first and only home In Longmeadow MA in 1952 on Maple Road (a dirt road at the time!) and Remmie never lived anywhere else. All the Falkowski girls could cook and Remmie was famous for her desserts. When the kids were older she was a baker at Longmeadow High School and never got tired of telling us how the students would line up waiting to see what sweet she had baked. Remmie stayed close to her friends from those days, having breakfast monthly at Romito’s. In fact a day before her death a card arrived signed by all the old crew, it was very sweet. Remmie LOVED to feed people and she was a very giving person. Everyone who knew Remmie knows that you never left her house without SOMETHING to eat. Many friends and family would get regular visits from her with fresh vegetables or baked goods, and man could she bake! For years Remmie baked for a local mission for the poor. Woven throughout all of her life is Remmie’s love of farming. Her entire life, well into her 80s, Remmie helped bring in the harvest, working with her sisters in the tobacco barns in October, hand stripping the Maduro tobacco, so it could be pressed and delivered to the buyers. Many joyful hours were spent engaging in ‘tobacco talk’ with her sisters in the barns, and NO subject was taboo…what was said in the tobacco barns stayed in the tobacco barns. Into her late 80s Remmie maintained a garden plot at the Polek Tobacco farm with assistance from Paul and Mark Polek. She loved growing her own produce and had a variety of crops. Some people see a glass as half full, some see a glass as half empty, Remmie only saw a glass that needed filling, and maybe a Hermit or chocolate chip cookie to go along with it. Remmie never had an enemy in the world. She was guileless and never held a grudge. Remmie had no desire for material things. She loved EVERYONE, especially her children and her daughters and son-in laws; Diane and Robert Sartwell, Thomas Dzwilewski and Laurel Fleming, Anne Marie and Joseph Polaski and David and Susan Dzwilewski. Remmie also leaves a legacy of nine Grandchildren; Scott Sartwell, Kristin Mack, Kyla Romero, Christian Dzwilewski, Daniel Polaski, Jessica Polaski, Miranda Polaski, Samantha Dzwilewski and Shane Dzwilewski. She also had six Great Grandchildren; Tate Mack, Reese Mack, Abby Clare Mack, Skylar Sartwell and finally the twins, born in 2016 just in time to have met their Great Grandmother, Bodie and Lyon Romero. Remmie was predeceased by a granddaughter Marissa Polaski. In addition to her family Remmie had long and loving relationships with her neighbors, Josie Glinski, Pat and Mary Amato and Jan. Also Special Thanks to the wonderful caregivers who assisted Anne Marie Polaski; Lynn Murphy and Anna and especially to Baystate Hospice, Nurse Lauren and Annemarie for helping Remmie have a dignified end. Remmie’s passing will leave a hole in all our hearts. If you can, please join us at Remmie’s wake on Tuesday, February 6th from 3PM -7PM at Forastiere Smith Funeral Home, 220 North Main St, East Longmeadow, MA. Remmie’s funeral will be held on Wednesday, February 7th from the funeral home at 8:30AM followed by the Rite of Christian Burial at St Mary’s Church in Longmeadow, MA at 10:00AM. Burial will follow at St Michael’s Cemetery in Springfield, MA. Donations in lieu of flowers can be made at Remmie’s favorite charity, St Jude’s for Children or Baystate Hospice.

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