100th Year Birthday Celebrations
One Hundred Years Old Today-Happy Birthday, Grandma Leskosek
On July 7, 1907 a precious baby girl was born to Slovenian immigrants John Skerbetz and Mary Drop Skerbetz of Export, PA. They named her Frances.
Her brothers and sisters included: John Skerbetz, Agnes Skerbetz Munsky, Charlie Skerbetz, Ella Skerbetz Dimple , Mitzie Skerbetz Polutnik, Eddie Skerbetz, Annie, Mary and Frankie who died as children. Francis along with her younger sister Agnes who resides in Florida are the only surviving of the 11 children born to John & Mary. Agnes is a mere 99 this year.
Frances grew up working. Her first job was hauling coal in her wagon at age 8. She would ride the wagon down the hill and get the coal and pull it back home to keep the family warm. Frances went to school like every other girl till graduation from grade 8. She spoke English, Slovenian, Polish, Slavish and Croatian. Over the years she worked in her uncle's store, took care of children for many friends and relatives and worked in a factory at age 14 wrapping glasses in paper. She did this for about a year before eloping with her one and only love, Mike Leskosek. She had other suitors, but only had eyes for Mike.
Mike had rented rooms near her family since Frances was 9 years old. He had come from Slovenia at age 17 looking for freedom. He worked in the mines. He would sit on his porch and play the accordion for everyone to hear. She would go to the store for him and fetch him sweet and sour pickles. Mike was 11 years older than Frances, so you can imagine why her father was unhappy when they eloped in 1922. She was 15 and a half.
Mike moved to Yukon and got a job in the mines. His father came from Slovenia and lived with him in a batchin shanty. When Mike got lonely he went back to Willock to the Slovenian girl who bought him sweet and sour pickles. They built a life together. Over the years, they had 8 children. Two died young. They lived through the depression, the first and second world wars, the Korean War, Viet Nam, Gulf War, Afghanistan War and now the War in Iraq. She has lived through the depression, through flu epidemics, the Great Chicago fire, the Johnstown flood, the fall of the Great Wall of China, etc. She waited and prayed at home while her sons and grandsons fought and were wounded in wars. Frances has lived through the election of 18 presidents.
Frances continued to work after marriage while bearing and raising her children. She did everything from running a boarding house and cooking and cleaning for her boarders to running a still and selling moonshine whiskey and beer to the miners along with home made breads on pay day. They didn't have a lot of niceties like refrigerators and television sets until much later in life. Frances would can everything from tomatoes and pickles to meats to feed her family. They always had a large, beautiful garden. Mike and Frances went on to purchase row houses and rented them out.
Frances babysat every one of her own grandchildren while their mother's worked. Her favorite past time has always been spending time with the children. Each one has many tales to share about the hours she has given freely to enrich their lives. Each one along with all of their friends recalls endless apple cobblers, home made breads and doughnuts as well as cucumbered potatoes, halupkies and raisin cookies by the dozen. Each one learned the value of hard work and common decency from her.
Their six remaining children-Melvin Leskosek, Theresa Leskosek Rupert, Leo Leskosek, Dorothy Leskosek Hyrczyk, Donald Leskosek and Michael Leskosek went on to make their marks in the world. As a result, there are now 121 individuals who call Frances everything from mom to grandma to great grandma to great, great grandma.
She lost her love, Mike in 1986 when he died doing one of the things he loved most, playing his accordion. She loves to sing and dance and she played the comb as her husband, sons, and grandsons played their accordions. She has also lost her son Leo and his wife Rosy and a grandson, Melvin Leskosek Jr.
Today, Frances still washes her own clothes, keeps her own house, cooks occasionally and entertains all who come to visit and enjoy her company. She remembers what happened in 1912 as easily as she remembers what happened yesterday.
Frances could never have imagined the impact her life would have on this world. Frances, who has never stood five feet tall could never have foreseen her family would include musicians, teachers, nurses, mill workers, entrepreneurs, sales executives, insurance brokers, farmers, dancers, a veterinarian, an author, mechanics, professional recruiters, a movie producer, welders, contractors, a bank Vice President, the Vice President of a major software company, tour directors, etc.
Frances Skerbetz Leskosek, we would like to tell you happy birthday today and tell you from all 121 family members and all of the friends, neighbors, cousins, nieces and nephews, and everyone who knows you, you are one special, special lady and we honor you and what you have done with the time God has loaned you to us. We love you.
As you wonder why God has kept you here when your eyesight is failing and your hearing is bad we want you to know, we wouldn't have missed it for the world but we would have missed the world if it had not been for you.
Happy Birthday Grandma Frances Leskosek-we are very blessed to have this time to share with you.
Today she will smile as her son Don Leskosek comes to play for her 100th birthday.
Written by her grand daughter, Donalyn Leskosek Spisak
