Louise Ella Owczarski

05/08/2005

Louise Ella Owczarski, 91, of 709 Savoy Road died Sunday at Sweet Brook Care Centers in Williamstown, where she had resided since Dec. 30. Born in North Adams on Sept. 3, 1913, daughter of John and Martha Kleiner Schwab, she attended the former Renfrew and Plunkett schools in Adams. At an early age, she worked at the former Berkshire Cotton Corp. in Adams. She and her husband, William F. Owczarski, owned and operated the Hillside Grocery Store, renaming it Hillside Ice Cream after they introduced homemade ice cream. In 1952, they relocated and renamed it Owczarski's Variety Store. Mr. Owczarski died in November 1972, and Mrs. Owczarski sold the store and the ice cream rights in 1974 and retired. She enjoyed traveling, reading, and arts and crafts, especially crocheting. She dressed more than 500 dolls in crocheted outfits, which she displayed in her "doll room" at home. She bowled in three leagues until age 89. A Boston Celtics and Red Sox fan, she was overjoyed when the Red Sox won the World Series. She and her husband were married June 13, 1932, in St. Stanislaus' Church. She leaves a son, William A. Owczarski of Arlington, Va.; a sister, Ellen Leitch of Adams; a brother, George Schwab of Adams; three grandsons, and six great-grandchildren. FUNERAL NOTICE -- A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated for the life of Louise Owczarski on Thursday, May 12, at 10 in St. Stanislaus Kostka Church by the Rev. Daniel Boyle. Burial will follow in the family plot in St. Stanislaus Kostka Cemetery. Calling hours will be tomorrow, May 11, from 5 to 8 at MCBRIDE FUNERAL HOME, 6 Liberty St., Adams. The family suggests memorial offerings to the St. John Canty Scholarship Fund through the funeral home. She leaves her daughter-in-law, Carolyn, and three grandsons, Paul of Raleigh, N.C., John of McLean, Va., and Mark of Blacksburg, Va. She was predeceased by two sisters, Bertha Jones and Emma Schneider, and by a brother, John Schwab.

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