Halina Gawlinska was born on July 1, 1919 in the Galicia region of Poland as the ninth child in her family. Her mother died when Halina was an infant, and she was cared for by family members from her mother’s side who eventually adopted her. Her adoptive father, Wladyslaw Gawlinski, was a craftsman and linguist who profoundly influenced her life – particularly her ongoing interest in the arts and Polish culture. Wladyslaw immigrated to Chicago in 1923 where his wife and Halina joined him a few years later.
In Chicago Halina attended a local Catholic school, Holy Family Academy. She received a Liberal Arts degree from DePaul University followed with a Master’s degree in Social Work from Loyola University. She worked for many years as a social worker at Chicago Cook County Hospital. In 1956 Halina traveled to Los Angeles with a friend and was offered a job at L.A. County Hospital. She remained a social worker there until her retirement in 1976.
Throughout her life Halina was involved with various activities and projects, many dealing with Polish culture. She was instrumental in curating an exhibit called The Invincible Polish Spirit at the California Museum of Science and Industry in 1979. It was the most comprehensive Polish exhibition ever presented in the United States.
Halina also worked with Dr. Zbigniew Dworak on the “Heart to Heart” program. It provided open-heart surgery to repair congenital heart defects in children from Poland. Throughout her life she continued to be active in other organizations, including Catholic Charities, the Friends of Polish Music, and the Polish University Club of Los Angeles, among others. Halina was one of the earliest members of the PUCLA and served on the Board of Directors for many years.
In her later years Halina resided at a Polish care home in Tarzana, California surrounded by a familiar atmosphere, which was very comforting to her. She passed away on May 11, 2017 at the age of 98. We are very grateful that she remembered the PUCLA in her planned giving.