Anna Szczypta, Wife of Andrew Piszczor Sr

I was eight years old when she passed away. She was a sweet and loving woman who was able to make all of her grandchildren feel special. When I stayed over at their farm she used to wake me up to do the early chores with her. She taught me how to milk a cow and collect eggs in the chicken coop. I know she taught some of my girl cousins how to make cheese and butter, some pretty important stuff I would say! She also made wine with the fruit from the farm and kept eight Piszczor men in line! I remember that the only time I saw my grandfather Andrew weep was during her entire funeral.

Anna Szczypta was my fraternal grandmother born in Witow, Poland in 1879. Her parents, Jan Szczypta and Regina Sepek, were farmers and she had one brother by the name of Jan. While Jan stayed in Poland, Anna decided to come to America, arriving in 1905.

She appears to have met her future husband Andrew in America, even though they grew up within three miles of each other. This leads into the the romantic legend; that they met in the apartment of her cousin(?) in Chicago who just happened to be Jozef Baisorka. Who incidentally was married to Andrew's sister Antonia! (just to note, Anna's arrival papers stated she was going to stay with a cousin in Chicago who lived on 752 W. 18th St, but I make out the hand writing to confirm the name!) For whatever reason all four of them left Chicago and headed to Westmoreland county in Pennsylvania. It was there in 1908 that they married in Mt. Pleasant, again with misspelled names.

Anna had seven sons with Andrew (and one died who within his first year) and lived on their farm in McClellandtown for nearly 40 years. There are pictures of Anna the farm in a number of the online albums.
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The Evening Standard (Uniontown, PA) Oct 30, 1962

PISZCZOR (PEZAR), ANNA M.

Aged 82, Footedale-Lambert Rd, died Sunday, October 28, 1962 at 11:40 a.m. in the Uniontown Hospital. Born November 11, 1879 in Poland, she had resided in the area for the past 47 years. She was a member of the St. Thomas R.C. Church, Footedale; St, Hedwig's Lodge 2234 ZNP and the Rosary Society of the church. She is survived by her husband, Andrew Piszczor Sr, and these children: John, Cleveland, O.; Joseph, New Salem; Andrew Jr., McClellandtown; Jesse, Michael and Walter, Cleveland, O.; 16 grandchildren; three great grandchildren; one brother, John Szczypta resides in Poland. She was preceded by a son Frank S. in 1958. Friends are being received at Vito P. DeCarlo Funeral Home until Wednesday. A Requiem High Mass will be chanted at St. Thomas R.C. Church, celebrated by Fr. Walter E. Iwaniski. Internment will be in the church cemetery. The Holy Name Society will recite the rosary Tuesday evening at 8 o'clock.