Zofia Bajak, Polish immigrant at 13, dies at 99 Zofia Dudajek Bajak's father sold a valuable cow in 1912 to pay for his 13-year old daughter's passage from what is now Poland to America, the land of her dreams. And before her death in Buffalo NY on March 10, 1997 -- she would have celebrated her 100th birthday November 13 -- , she had lived to see most of her dreams come true. Among her four sons and two daughters were homemakers and business executives (Irene Palka, Helen Pasciak and Henry); two lawyers (Joseph and Walter); and NBC TV's national newsfilm director (Sigmund, a Yale graduate who also became the first Polish-American rear admiral in the U.S. Navy Reserve). After arriving at Ellis Island from her native Delaslowice -- she used an older cousin's identification card -- Zofia worked for a year in a cotton mill in Adams MA, studying English and Americanization courses and sending some of her meager earnings to the family in Poland. At 14, she became a maid in Buffalo, later working at the Buffalo Country Club until marrying Frank Bajak in 1923. He died in 1968. She was president of the St. Florian's Church Rosary Society for 25 years, and active in the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America. A deeply religious person, Zofia was also "a great cook with a great sense of humor". She had all her mental faculties right up to the end of her life, and enjoyed telling stories to her 24 grandchildren and 24 great- grandchildren. A daughter summarized Zofia's life thus: "She loved Poland and Polish history, but she really loved being an American. This was the place where her dreams came true." WIECZNY ODPOCZYNEK RACZ JEJ DAC~ PANIE! Dan Kij (pron. "Key"), Buffalo-Lackawanna NY USA President, PRODIGY POLISH CLUB POLfrina - Polish Family Research Institute of North America Secretary/Librarian, PGSNYS