"Lila"
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Waleria’s “Lila’s” story
Waleria Lila Orlowska was born in Poland. Her parents Henryk Orlowski and Janina Orlowska had
four children Henryka, Bernard, Waleria "Lila" and Marysia. They lived in a two-room apartment in
Bydgoszcz, Poland. Henryk was an artist who painted on canvas and painted murals. Janina was a
housewife and Mother who stayed home and kept the family together. Although it was hard to help,
living in a 2 room apartment with six people,Lila loved to help her mother with the cooking when she
could. Back in Poland Lila beleived that her mother made the best Pierogi in the country, using
everything she could to fill the Polish dumplings. Everything that was in season was a pierog. The
recipe for these pierogi has been passed down for generations.
Waleria Lila Orlowska was born in Poland. Her parents Henryk Orlowski and Janina Orlowska had
four children Henryka, Bernard, Waleria "Lila" and Marysia. They lived in a two-room apartment in
Bydgoszcz, Poland. Henryk was an artist who painted on canvas and painted murals. Janina was a
housewife and Mother who stayed home and kept the family together. Although it was hard to help,
living in a 2 room apartment with six people,Lila loved to help her mother with the cooking when she
could. Back in Poland Lila beleived that her mother made the best Pierogi in the country, using
everything she could to fill the Polish dumplings. Everything that was in season was a pierog. The
recipe for these pierogi has been passed down for generations.
Antonio
Connie
Lila's father always wanted to come to America, he said how nice it would be to come to America,
cause he believed life would be better there. He never got to see America, dying at the young age
of 36. Janina and her four children struggled in Poland. At this time, Poland was under communism,
and being a single Mother of four children it was hard to survive. It was almost impossible without a
man’s support. To support the four kids and herself Janina had to go to a trade school three days
a week to learn work for the Military.
Lila had an uncle that lived in America. He and his wife owned a bridal shop in Michigan. He had
guaranteed the Polish government a place to live and a job for Janina to financially support her
and the children.
It took weeks to get to America by ship and they encountered a bad storm on the way. The children
were begging their mother to go back to Poland, they all expected the worst. The only things Lila
had known about America, she read about in history books. She thought why come to a country of
slavery, civil war, and where the people had shot their own president. Lila was a teenage girl when
she and her family moved to America. They arrived in Detroit in December of 1967.
In America Lila went to a school for foreign children and worked at the bridal shop for her uncle on
Saturdays making five dollars a day. It was hard to adjust to America. Different life style, food,
housing, and friends. In time, Lila came to love this country and was happy that her mother had
moved them all here.
In 1972 Lila was married to Domenico Calimazzo, and named their one child Antonio. In 1977 Lila
and Domenico parted ways and Lila was off to make a new life for her and her two year old son. At
this time Lila was more American then she thought she would be on that boat trip to this country.
She became a legal U.S. Citizen in 1977.
By the time Antonio was in the first grade, Lila had moved from Detroit to Redford. Her sister now
lived closer to her, she lived in Livonia. The move was wonderful for Lila. She had her family closer
to her and they now could spend more time together. Lila and her sister Marysia use to spent their
days off making pierogi the whole day long a few times a year.
Lila worked hard; having a job that worked her overtime and she was going to school to get her
High school diploma. After graduating high school she was employed in various capacities for over
ten years to help pay for completion of higher education. Lila’s family has always been her
strength; helping her out financially when she was in need and helping her as a single mother raise
a son. Lila and her family have always been very close.
Lila has three college degrees a B.F.A. From The Center of Creative Studies. Detroit.
Associates degree in Graphic Design from Oakland Community College, and an
Associates degree in Illustration from Oakland Community College. She feels that she has come
so far from using an outhouse and well water to bathe, to an accomplished woman who now has
opportunities. Although she was always struggling financially, her life was filled with joy. Her son
Antonio had filled her life with hope and happiness. To relieve some of the stress she would turn to
painting, where she feels that she is in another world. She also loves to spend time outside
gardening, where she feels piece and one with God.
Being born
and raised in
Poland,
Waleria “ Lila”
Orlowska
brings with
her a lifetime
of experience
preparing
traditional
Polish dishes.
Here in the
United States,
she has
continued to
perfect her
skills by
preparing
pierogi and
other Polish
dishes for
friends,family
functions and
now for the
public.
and raised in
Poland,
Waleria “ Lila”
Orlowska
brings with
her a lifetime
of experience
preparing
traditional
Polish dishes.
Here in the
United States,
she has
continued to
perfect her
skills by
preparing
pierogi and
other Polish
dishes for
friends,family
functions and
now for the
public.