Jim and Lillian Kowalski

Jim and Lillian Kowalski were born Catholic and were married at St. James Catholic Church in Oak Cliff, TX.  Jim is from Milwaukee, WI and Lillian was born and raised in Oak Cliff.  Jim has been a member of the KofC for 62 years and is a charter member and is also retired.  He had worked as a graphic arts salesman for Eastman Kodak and as a KofC field agent, which he stopped doing in 2005.  He was also an Air Force Reserve.  The father of Lillian’s, Bennie Skotak, had a big influence on Brother Jim joining the knights.  Lillian worked for Allstate Insurance for 40 plus years and retired in 2007 and then she worked for a spine surgeon at Presbyterian Hospital which she stopped doing just before Covid.  They have lived at their home since 1978.  The Kowalski’s have 4 kids:  Gregory, Janie. Joseph, and Brian. They have attended Holy Spirit Catholic Church and St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church over the years.  Jim volunteers for Meals on Wheels, Special Olympics, and is also an usher at the 9am Mass on Sundays.  He also received the Knights of Columbus Dallas Diocesan person of the year award in 2007-2008.  Lillian says she stays involved with her kids and grandkids (6 grandkids) as well as their 1 great grandkid, Ayden, who is 2 years old.  She loves to garden and stay outside when it is warm weather.  Jim’s hobby is to go deer hunting down close to Brownwood, TX.  Lillian is a member of the Duncanville Women’s club and says she loves to play bridge and bunco…she enjoys meeting up with people in order to do things.  Jim has served as Grand Knight twice and has also served as warden and chancellor.  He says his biggest influence on him as a catholic was his mother, Margaret, and Lillian’s biggest influence was both of her parents.  Jim, 90 years, and Lillian, 86 years, have traveled to Rome and the Vatican where they got to see Pope Francis up close and heard him speak.  They also visited Sicily where their son Brian was serving in the Navy.  They have also been to Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany.  They also go on cruises and they actually went on a 21 day riverboat cruise with high school friends about 6 or 7 years ago.  Both of them stand for being better parents to their kids and grandkids as well as the Catholic right to life issue in which they have participated in rosaries for.