Dody Polinski celebrates 100 years this year
CENTENARIAN CELEBRATION
by Dody Polinski
LW contributor
On Nov. 20, 1924, in Evanston, Illinois Mary (nee Pierce) and George Bieschke became the parents of Dorisella Bieschke. Her parents subsequently called her “Lala.” They were poor for many years until after WWII.
She attended the Evanston schools and enjoyed reading, rollerskating and riding her bicycle. Just prior to Pearl Harbor, the family bought a home in Northbrook, Illinois. Father and daughter had to commute daily to his work and her school. She graduated with honors in 1942.
Polinski’s first employment was in a machine shop making parts for planes and submarines. Here she was called “Dody,” which continues to this day.
She then worked a position in the Traffic Department at Baxter Labs in Glenview, where she also wrote a monthly column for the company house organization.The company won the then-coveted Navy E. Ribbon.
Polinski eventually moved to Chicago, working at different jobs. During this period, she enjoyed swimming, walking and joined a rollerskating club. Her father had been a student at Northwestern University, so she took three courses in psychology there, working as a waitress and bookkeeper between office jobs. An ad in a newspaper took her to the American College of Surgeons, where her work title was forum secretary and the workload was enough for two.
The workers travelled to both coasts for Clinical Congresses, where she worked eight hours a day and three hours each for three evenings. Returning home a day before the rest of the staff, she escaped being marooned in the infamous Donner Pass as they were. Her next title was confidential secretary to the company’s vice president at Commerce Clearing House.
She met Paul Polinski in 1958 and they married in 1959. In subsequent years, they became the parents of two daughters and a son, and now have two grandchildren.
Polinski began volunteer work over the years: at a hospital in Illinois, girl’s clubs and as a volunteer naturalist at Caspers Wilderness Park where she served for 10 years as secretary and, briefly, as president. She took courses at Saddleback Community College and joined a gospel choir, where she sang for about 10 years with her husband. He had also established a microelectrics company where Dody performed many positions. He was offered a position at the then Hughes Aircraft Company, so the family made their first move to California. Paul and Dody moved to Tempe for a number of years, where the retired Paul began jewelry work which is now his occupation. Then they moved to Leisure World.
Dody’s husband, Paul, is 85 and they’ve been married 65 wonderful years. They did number of years doing a Chinesepainting, many years making dichroic jewelry with Alice Phillips of Silverado Glass, and a trip to Corning, New York, to learn glass blowing at Corning Illinois glass.
