| Gus Wurth | Anna Massal | Loni Palkovic |
Loni Wurth Palkovic
June 14, 1920--June 14,
2005
Loni Wurth was born in Hemsbach, Germany on June 14, 1920. She and her family came to the United States in 1923. Their boat landed in New York Harbor on June 14, 1923, the U. S. holiday known as Flag Day. Her Dad, Grandpa Gus to us, told Loni that all the flags were displayed because it was her birthday and all the Americans were welcoming them to the United States. [How's that for good self image and positive affirmation.]
Here are some pictures of Loni when she was a young woman.
 |
| Lots of Fun! |
|
 |
 |
|
Best Friends: Loni & Doris Sayles (West) |
At Nineteen |
Pretty Girl |
|
|
It took me a long time to identify this picture as my
Mom. She's sitting on the front porch at Roosevelt Avenue.
Behind her, we look out toward Albany Street at Blesser's Park.
While Mom was growing up, that was an open wooded area, and I believe
there was a park pavilion for group picnics.
In the mid-fifties, the land was leveled and Bishop Gibbons High School was built there.
|
 |
Mom was a good gymnast. She loved to go to gym at the
Turner Hall, where her uncle, Henry Wurth, started a gymnastic program
which was well known throughout Schenectady for two generations.
Lots of Schenectady kids enjoyed gym at the Turner Hall.
Mom told us that whenever her dad needed to punish her, he would tell her she couldn't go to gym that week. That was the worst punishment! She admitted that often her father softened by gym day, and she got to go after all.
|
|
Much younger |
|
Gymnast |
High School, Gym and College
This is a work in progress. I've got some more things to add here. We'll see when it happens.
The first part of this page with all the pictures was originally created, as a tribute to her, as we remember her 83rd birthday (1983), I thought at that time it would be fun to share some pictures of her when she was much younger. That section was revised for this page. (2008)
Marriage and Family
|
On August 10, 1940 Joseph A. Palkovic son of Thomas and Josephine Palkovic married Loni Wurth daughter of Gustav and Barbara Wurth at SS. Cyril & Methodius Church |
|
|
|
Reception at the Turner Hall |
Doris Sayles and Frank Palkovic were the attendants. | Honeymoon in Oneida, NY |
2742 Broadway
Joe and Loni married in 1940. In 1944, they bought a house at 2742 Broadway in the Town of Rotterdam. The mailing address was Schenectady, NY. They lived here and raised their family of eight children.
Their Children
Barbara, Joseph, Thomas, Michael, Virginia, Peter, Francis, Rosemarie
Widowed at age 51.
On June 17, 1971, her husband, Joe died. Four teenage children were still living home. Six months afterwards, Anna lost her husband. The two sisters came together in one household. Loni was working for the NYS Dept of Motor Vehicles, Anna cooked and was home for the children. After their mother died, their father would join the household, too.
Loni progressed in her career and became active in the Third Order of Saint Francis, where she made many close friends. Over time, the children all grew up and their father died.
Loni and Anna continued to make a home together until their old age. They traveled together and enjoyed their children and grandchildren.
After a full life, Loni suffered from serious dementia, perhaps Alzheimer's Disease. By 1995 [or maybe 1996], her condition was so serious, that she had to go into a convalescent home where she could receive around the clock care.
It would be fun to have more stories about Loni from her children and grandchildren or nieces and nephews.
Loni died on June 14, 2005 in the El Cajon Convalescent Center in San Diego County, California where several of her children and grandchildren lived. She was loved and is missed by many.
Funeral services were held at the Immaculate Conception Parish, where she had been a member from 1944 to 1994. She was buried in the family plot next to her husband, Joe, in St. Cyril and Methodius Cemetery in Schenectady, NY.
