Kathleen "Kathy" M. Popielarski

Kathleen Mary Popielarski, 79, born November 13, 1946, on the 19th birthday of her mother, Mary. A lifelong Bridgeport resident who graduated from St. Mary of Perpetual Help Grammar School and High School, Kathy was the beloved daughter of the late Theodore (Ted) and late Mary (nee Grzelak); loving sister of Ted, Jr. “Tadz” (late Janet), Diane (Frank) LaPorta, and Glenn; dear aunt (“Ciotka”) of Gina (Andy) Adamik and Lisa (Nick) Fic; great-aunt of Gianna and Sophia Adamik and Nicholas and Natalia Fic; cherished godmother of Gina Adamik and Sue Bornhorst. 35-year retiree from Spiegel as a Buyer and Executive Assistant and 11-year tenure with Inlander Brothers as Outside Sales Support. A great heart and caring soul, helpful to neighbors and strangers alike. A true and sincere friend to all.

Wake: Friday, April 24, 2026, 3:00-9:00 PM, at Pomierski Funeral Home in Bridgeport, 1059 W. 32nd St. Visitation again at Pomierski 8:30-9:30 AM Saturday morning before funeral procession.

Funeral: Saturday, April 25, 2026, 9:30 AM, procession from Pomierski Funeral Home to 10:00 AM Mass of Christian Burial at St. Mary of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, 1039 W. 32nd St., followed by internment at Resurrection Cemetery in Justice, IL.

Nicknamed “Sissy” by Glenn, Kathy was an active daily caregiver for both her parents in their declining years. Kathy visited them regularly in the hospital and skilled nursing facilities when they were there. She opened her home when her father needed full-time live-in support from a ‘round-the-clock caregiver, relinquishing her own bedroom in the process and accepting an alternate sleeping arrangement. Kathy also provided daily support to Glenn when he was the full-time caregiver for Mom. Kathy and Glenn were “Team 3409,” 24x7.

Kathy was a very gentle and sincere soul who loved her family and friends and her faith, always attending services at St. Mary of Perpetual Help Catholic Church. There was nothing pretentious, fake, or plastic about Kathy. She was someone who truly always kept it real.

What did Kathy like most in life?

• Jesus and our Triune God.

• Family and close friends.

• Being good, kind, thoughtful, giving, and helpful to others, especially her family and closest friends.

• Gardening. Planting and caring for flowers.

• Music by Yanni, Manheim Steamroller, Rod Stewart, and The Rolling Stones.

• The color green.

• Dippity Do hair gel and Aqua Net hairspray.

• Vanilla ice cream.

• Waffles and bagels for breakfast. And pancakes

Dogs and cats and animals of all kinds. Animal Planet TV. She had two dogs, Bo II (aka, Bubba) and Bo III (aka, Little Guy).

• Cats were her first love, but she never had one. She had a cat very briefly for only several days but couldn’t keep it because Bo II just wouldn’t allow it. He refused to share his Mommy’s attention with anything else but him (especially, no cat) and let her know his displeasure through constant whining the whole week the cat was there.

• Kathy loved Doodles LaPorta and Bella Adamik and always brought them treats when she came to the LaPorta’s or Adamik’s. Both dogs adopted her as their favorite and eagerly awaited her arrival with great expectation (and much tail wagging).

• Mexican food. Especially chicken sopes, chicken or ground beef tacos, cheese enchiladas, and chile rellenos.

• Chili. And tamales.

• Tabasco hot sauce.

• Fritos. Tostito’s With a Hint of Lime. Pretzels and popcorn, especially O’KE DOKE.

• Greek and lemon chicken.

• Trying any new restaurant that opened in the neighborhood (“Did you see what opened at…? We have to go.”).

• Cakes and sweets of all kinds.

• Bubblegum and jaw breakers.

• Starbuck’s Mocha Lattes in 4-pack bottles from the store.

• Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.

• Kraft Tangy Spaghetti.

• White Castle jalapeno cheeseburgers, onion rings, hot chocolate, and coffee.

• Coffee from anywhere; Kathy was a huge coffee fan. Two creams, one sugar

• Shake & Steak burgers.

• Connie’s Pizza. Sausage & Giardinara.

• Phil’s Pizza. Cheese & Spinach.

• Dunkin’ Donuts lattes (small, hot French Vanilla, Hazelnut, or Pumpkin Spice).

• Fish and pretty much any seafood.

• Going to the show to see new releases. Ford City AMC or the Quarry in Hodgkins.

• Attending live performances of plays and shows.

• Shopping at Ford City JC Penney’s and Kohl’s.

• Shopping at the McKinley Park Target.

• ABC local and national news.

• TV series (so very many). ER, CSI (all of them), Dancing with the Stars, America’s Got Talent (and any TV talent show).

• Downton Abbey, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, PBS Masterpiece, and most any PBS content, including the annual National Memorial Day Concert (that she got Glenn hooked on; it’s so good!).

• Property Brothers and other HGTV shows. Hallmark Channel. All year long. Hallmark Christmas movies (…all year long…).

• Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune game shows.

*One Life to Live soap opera

.• Everything about the Victorian Era. The styles of dress, manners, quaintness, and innocent goodness of people back then, treating each other with decency and respect sadly missing from current times.

• Fiction. Books from the Bridgeport Library on 34th & Halsted.

• Playing Scrabble and 500 Rummy.

• Baking. Cakes, cookies, and quiches.

• Alcohol only at social gatherings. A glass of wine, a rum & coke, a margherita, or a small glass of Kahlua or Bailey’s. Very rarely more than one, she usually didn’t finish the first one.

• Pepsi. Always regular, original Pepsi. Also 7-Up. No Coke. No diet sodas.

*Making Mom’s homemade recipes for Beef & Noodles, Spaghetti and Pork Sausages, and Chili.

• Italian Sausage, burgers, and hot dogs that Glenn cooked on the grill.

• Daily talks on the phone or in person with Maryann, her best friend from childhood who lives across the street.

• Visiting her friends Sue and Al and their children and grandchildren.

• Phone calls with her godchild, Sue Ellen, who had moved to Florida.

• Weekends at Maryann’s and Gene’s summer home in Michigan.

• Girls’ weekends at cousin Sue’s place in Michigan, including house walks and winery tours.

• Halloween and all the fun, goodies, and lore surrounding it. “Spooky” movies and shows. Wearing her witch’s hat and Area 51 Lil Ale Inn tee shirt Glenn bought her in Vegas. Kathy loved handing out candy to trick or treaters more than the kids liked receiving it. And she  always bought the “good” candy that cost more but she knew the kids liked best.

• Handing out goody bags to the neighbor kids on holidays during the year. Just because.

• Having been able to walk to and from work for 35 years, including lunch, when work was only a 3-minute walk away.

• Florida. Beach walks on the soft wet sand as the washing surf rolled across her ankles.

• A beautiful sunrise and a gorgeous sunset that only the Hand of God could paint.

What will we miss most about Kathy?

• Her wry and sarcastic sense of humor. She could be very funny without trying.

• When she had a joke to tell that she thought was funny. The funniest part actually wasn’t the joke; it was watching her break up laughing uncontrollably as she tried to tell it but couldn’t because she kept thinking of the punchline. Laughing ridiculously along with her not over the joke (that we still didn’t know), but her hysterical failed attempt to deliver it. Priceless. Forever memorable.

• Weekly grocery trips to Mariano’s, and sometimes Dollar Tree, always followed by a latte for home from the Dunkin’ Donuts drive through.

• Weekly drop offs and pickups from the laundromat.

• Drives with Diane every spring for flowers where the full day was spent as a “girls’ day” out.

• Spring and fall craft shows with Diane.

• Black Friday shopping with Diane very early the morning after Thanksgiving.

•Diane’s nightly check-in calls where the topics could be any and many.

• Tadz’ weekly visits every Saturday or Sunday.

• Glenn’s seeing and talking with her multiple times every day. Kathy just always being “there.”

• Friday night Masses and Stations of the Cross with her during Lent at St. Mary’s.

• Playing board and card games with her, especially over the Christmas / New Years’ holidays. Kathy would be up for playing Scrabble or 500 Rummy every day if there was a taker.

• Her Easter lamb cake. The best anywhere; no bakery-bought one ever tasted close as good.

• Her famous broccoli cauliflower cheese casserole for Thanksgiving.

• Her chocolate chip cookies before Christmas.

• Her carrot cake, poppyseed cake, chocolate/pistachio cake, and banana bread. Her pound cake, most of all. Kathy’s pound cake was truly legendary and the most delicious anywhere. She made both vanilla and lemon versions.

• Backyard BBQs on Memorial Day and Connie’s Pizzas in the backyard on the 4th of July.

• Just taking time to visit. To sit, talk, laugh. And be.

• She as the most loving and kind sister, aunt, cousin, friend, and neighbor that anyone could ever have. THAT is what we will all miss most about her.

Kathy was humble and minimalistic, always shying the spotlight in favor of the background, very much like the simplicity of St. Therese of Lisieux, the “Little Flower."

Rest in Peace, Kathy. With Mom, Dad, your two Bo’s on Rainbow Bridge, and all your beloved family and friends who’ve gone before you. We will see you again, when it’s our time to pass through the veil that separates this world and your new one. Forever, with love.