Orphaned at Age Eight
Maria Kumiega was born on June 7, 1913 in Poland to Albert and Milena Gajos. Milena’s maiden name was also Gajos, though she says her parents weren’t related. Albert owned a small farm, and Milena cared for Maria, who was just a baby when World War I broke out. Albert was soon rounded up to serve in the Russian navy, and tragically never returned. Milena eventually remarried, but while giving birth to her first child with her new husband, both she and the baby died. Maria’s new stepfather could not even stand to look at her, so Maria was essentially an orphan at age eight.
Eventually it was arranged for her to go live with an uncle in a distant village. Her life with her uncle wasn’t terrible, she says, though she was not treated like the other children in the family and was made to work very hard. She received only a couple of years of schooling, but she was eager to learn and taught herself to read and write, despite the long hours she put in around the house and farm.
It is not surprising, then, that she married very young—at sixteen—to Daniel Kumiega, a boy she had grown up with in her uncle’s village. Daniel, a few years older than her, saw how difficult it was for Maria, living with her uncle, and he was subsequently very kind to her. Often he would bring her a sweet wrapped in his handkerchief on a Sunday. Maria had to hide her gifts from the family, but she looked forward to his visits very much. She grew to love him, even from a young age, so when he asked her to marry him, she didn’t have to think about it at all, and said yes. She had hoped to use the land owned by her parents as a dowry, but it had unfortunately been confiscated, by whom Maria isn’t sure. Instead, Daniel found work on a nearby farm, and Maria soon had a baby, Marta, to care for.
Maria does not like to talk about the Second World War and does not say how the little family survived it, just that when it was over, there was little opportunity to make a living. They did not want to stay in Communist Poland, so in 1948, they escaped to France. Daniel found work on farms there, and they remained for thirteen years, during which time another child, Bosko, was born.
When the French economy took a downturn, however, Daniel could no longer find any work. He was forced to take a job in the mines, though the conditions were grueling. Daniel couldn’t take the back-breaking work and, likewise, found it especially hard to be underground all day when he had spent his life working outdoors in the fields. Desperate, they decided to immigrate to America and applied to the Catholic League for help. Finally, around 1961, they made it to Chicago. Their son, Bosko, came with them, but Marta remained behind as she was already married. Daniel found work as an unskilled laborer in factories, and though it wasn’t outdoor work, he was grateful that he was no longer in the mines. Eventually, Marta and her husband and children made their way over, too.
After saving for a long time, Maria and Daniel were able to buy a small house in Humboldt Park, which was Maria’s pride and joy. Unfortunately, however, Daniel died in the early 1970’s, making it very hard for Maria to hold onto the house with only a job as a cleaner. Bosko and Marta were not able to help financially, as they both had their own family and house to care for. Finally, as the neighborhood grew worse and worse and Maria became more and more afraid, she sold the house for much less than it was worth and bought another one closer to Bosko.
Maria has remained independent until very recently. She was a member at St. Hyacinth and spent her later years gardening, her favorite being roses. When she was diagnosed with renal failure at age 83 and was having trouble getting around, it was suggested by Marta and Bosko that she go to a home. When Maria asked if she might instead live with one of them, Bosko explained that everyone works and that there would be no one home with her all day. Reluctantly, then, Maria agreed to go to a nursing home.
Both Marta and Bosko visit her and offer what support they can, though they do not get along with each other. Indeed, they claim to hate each other, though Maria does not seem to know this. For example, Bosko was the one to accompany Maria during her admission, and when he was asked for Maria’s family history, he neglected to even acknowledge his sister’s existence at all. The staff were very surprised, then, when Marta appeared saying that she was Maria’s daughter. Bosko then later admitted he did have a sister, but stated that she is “too stupid” to be of much help. On the other hand, Bosko frequently smells like alcohol when he visits, even if it is a morning visit.
If Maria was once aware of her family’s dysfunction, it seems lost on her now as she is trying her best to fit into the home. She prefers to stay in her room, but can be coaxed out occasionally to talk with other Polish residents, attend Mass or play bingo. If the weather is very warm, she can sometimes be found sitting in the gardens on her own.
(originally written May 1996)
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