Anne Marie Lawler

 Born December 28, 1932 in Chicago

Anne's Father, Harry Daniel Lawler, came from a large Irish family believed to be in the US from the early 1800's. His mother came from Bohemia in the late 1800's. Anne's mother, Anne Marie Montrym was second generation Lithuanian. Anne had a younger brother, Harry Daniel Lawler, Jr. Their early years were lived in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago and they moved to the Mount Greenwood neighborhood when Anne was entering the 8th grade. Anne's father was a truck driver for a steel supply company and worked second jobs all his life, refusing to let his wife work. Her job was in the home raising the children.

While going to high school Anne met Don Plefka. They went to different high schools together. After Don started college, she broke up with him and did not date him until after receiving a post card from Puerto Rico. .He simply asked, "Are you still available?" Her mother suggested, "He must be lonely." So they wrote, she sent cookies and before his enlistment was over they became engaged.

Don and Anne were married at St. Christina Church, the small brick building on Homan Ave, now used as class rooms, on July 30, 1955, a very hot day, with no air conditioning. Don forgot the ring and Anne waited patiently. (we think)

Dan was born on Halloween, Oct 31, 1956. Anne Marie was born on Friday the thirteenth in 1958. Tom was born on January 1, 1963. Like her mother before her, Anne quit her job before Dan was born and became a full time mother. Don worked two jobs for a time to make ends meet.

The first year of marriage, the couple lived in a basement room of a friend of the Lawler family. It flooded twice while they lived there. Then they bought Don's mother's home and she went to live in a flat in a building owned by her brother. Joe Plefka had died in 1952 while Don was in the Navy.  When pregnant with Tom the family moved from the two bedroom home to a three bedroom home not far away on Drake Ave, selling the old house to Anne's brother and his new wife, Carol Gallagher. It was after that move that Anne learned from a neighbor that her husband was adopted. She was very hurt because she thought he had kept the secrete from her. It was a greater surprise to him.

By the time Anne's mother died in 1983, Don was a Vice President of the electrical contracting firm and Branch Manager of an office in Joliet Illinois. Dan and Anne Marie were married. Don and Anne built a four bedroom home in Orland Park and Anne's dad moved in with them. Don's mom was then in an assisted living facility in Joliet. Anne was now a diabetic and had other medical problems. It was discovered that she had had a (silent) heart attack and in 1986 she had bypass surgery. Her recovery was quick and was a life altering event for her. She became more involved with church, dragging Don along with her.

In 1987, Harry Lawler, Sr died. In 1992 Sylvia died. Don retired in 1996. While Don, Anne and their daughter were watching one of their grandsons play high school baseball, on July 17, 2000 Anne was struck with a fatal heart attack.