Evelyn (Tolpa) Lisek of Gary celebrated her 100th birthday March 11 with her family and friends.
When I chatted with her last month at the annual WANISS May Wine Charity Luncheon in the ballroom at The Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster, she was still smiling and celebrating.
The longest-ranking member member of WANISS, the group originally launched as the Women’s Association in Gary in 1962, Evelyn died peacefully in Hobart, her most recent home, on Monday, June 15.
A founding member of the ladies’ orchestra charity organization, in 1975, Evelyn was among the members who voted to rename the organization the Women’s Association of the Northwest Indiana Symphony Society (WANISS), and an affiliate of the Volunteer Council of the League of American Orchestras.
At last month’s WANISS 54th Annual May Wine Brunch, Evelyn, donning her favorite spring wide-brimmed ladies’ hat, told me she attended the first of these spring luncheons more than half a century ago.
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A trained opera star, Evelyn performed on stages around the country. And as a young lady, she was in attendance at our Northwest Indiana Orchestra’s first concert at 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 7, 1941, the same day as the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
“Evelyn had just attended our WANISS Annual meeting last Thursday, June 11, and was really enjoying herself with family and WANISS members,” said WANISS President Tresa Redermacher.
“She will be so missed.”
Evelyn was born in Gary to Walter and Julia Tolpa, and she graduated from Lew Wallace High School in the Class of 1944. She attended MacMurray College, where she studied music with associate professor Ann Garrels. In 1949, she married Henry Lisek, who died in 2000.
It was while attending St. Hedwig Grade School that Evelyn’s teachers recognized her singing abilities and encouraged her to develop her gift, which would lead to her early adult years studying with opera coaches at the Chicago Conservatory of Music.
She had a talent for performing various musical program styles ranging from Broadway tunes to light opera, and also an amazing ability to sing in several foreign languages, the latter a bookable talent that took her around the world. During the 1970s and 1980s, Evelyn entertained thousands of school children with Bicentennial and patriotic programs and used the opportunity for students to learn history while listening to music.
“Evelyn was the best fan of great music and our fan since the first day of our orchestra on Pearl Harbor Day, Dec. 7, 1941, and she was just 15 at the time,” said Northwest Indiana Symphony Maestro Kirk Muspratt on Friday.
“Since then, she never missed a concert, and she never missed an event for the orchestra. She will always be that truly lovely lady who was a dear part of all of our lives.”
Evelyn was very proud of her Polish heritage and was a member and soloist in both the Chopin Chorus and Millennium Choir. She also entertained with her varied programs and soloed the Polish and American anthems every October at the Polish American Heritage Month observance in Calumet City.
In 1979, she was thrilled to be a member of the Papal choir, which sang at Five Holy Martyrs Parish for Pope John Paul II during his visit to Chicago.
Evelyn served as vice president of the Polish American Congress, Indiana Division, and was also a member of the Polish National Alliance, Madame Curie Circle No. 3134, and Silver Bell Club No. 2365. She served as council president and as state president of the Indiana chapter of the Polish Women’s Alliance (now part of the First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association).
Evelyn served as cantor for 20 years at St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Gary, and she organized and directed the “Sounds of Knights” men’s choral group of Knights of Columbus No. 4047.
Evelyn applied to be an “extra” for the filming on Chicago’s South Side for “Road to Perdition,” the 2002 movie starring Paul Newman and Tom Hanks. She received a telephone call to be part of a scene in a church with her character as a congregant praying the rosary. When the director was ready to shoot the scene, Evelyn can be seen sitting behind and between Paul Newman and Tom Hanks.
Evelyn is survived by her children: Carolyn Lisek, Walter Lisek, Darlene (Mark) Schmitt, Kathryn Lisek; and her many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Friends may visit with the family from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday, June 21, at Geisen-Pruzin Funeral and Cremation Services, 6360 Broadway Ave. in Merrillville. Additional visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until 10 a.m. Monday, June 22, at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, 3530 Illinois St. in Hobart, before the Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. Interment to follow at Calvary Cemetery in Portage.
In 1982, Evelyn was invited to sing as part of the Bobby Vinton Telethon for Polish Relief broadcast on WGN-Channel 9. Today, Bobby is 91 years old and he and Dolly, his wife of 64 years, are retired and living in Englewood, Florida. While he always told me his mom Dorothy wasn’t a great cook, since Bobby’s bandleader dad Stan was always traveling on the road, he beams about what a wonderful cook Dolly is and her homemade recipes, including a hearty breakfast egg casserole which ranks among his favorites.
Columnist Philip Potempa has published four cookbooks and is a weekly radio show host on WJOB 1230 AM. He can be reached at [email protected] or mail your questions: From the Farm, PO Box 68, San Pierre, Ind. 46374.
Bobby Vinton’s Special Eggs Breakfast Recipe
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
3 Idaho baking potatoes
Cold water
Corn Oil
1/2 pound lean bacon (more if desired)
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 red sweet pepper, chopped
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
3 tablespoons sweet butter or margarine
10 large eggs (more if desired)
1/2 cup cream
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8 large mushrooms, washed, sliced
1 large zucchini, washed, sliced
4 ounces Jack, Cheddar or Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Dairy sour cream, optional
Salsa, preferably homemade, optional
Directions
1. Peel and cube potatoes into bite-sized pieces and soak potatoes in cold water 1 hour to crisp.
2. Drain well and dry on absorbent paper towel.
3. Fry in deep hot corn oil until brown and drain well to remove all traces of fat.
4. Fry bacon until crisp and golden, drain and crumble in large pieces.
5. Sauté green and red pepper and onions in butter until limp; set aside.
6. Beat eggs with cream; pour over sautéed vegetables and stir over low heat until eggs begin to cook.
7. Sit in mushrooms, zucchini, cheese and basil, cooking and stirring constantly until eggs coat ingredients.
8. Add potatoes and bacon and stir to heat through.
9. Serve at once with sour cream and salsa on side and, if desired, pass additional cheese to garnish.