Loretta Theresa Wolnik of Tucson, Arizona for three weeks, formerly a longtime resident of Palatine, Illinois since 1968, passed away peacefully Thursday, Jan. 6, 2005 after a long illness.

Loretta was born Sept. 4, 1926, in Chicago, the youngest of six children. She was the owner of Bird of Paradise Drapery and Upholstery, a business she started in Palatine in 1973.

She is survived by her husband of 51 years, Emil Wolnik; her children, Ginger Wolnik and her life partner Karen Enz of Sunnyvale, Calif., Michele Ellis and her husband Jim and their two children, Caitlin and Patrick of Marlton, N.J., Renee Sovak and her husband Dale and their daughter Erika of Benicia, Calif., her business partner, son, and full-time caretaker for the last several years, Keith Wolnik of Tucson; and a brother, Henry Cook, 93, of Lyons, Ill.

In addition to her four surviving children, she was preceded in death by another child, son, Wayne, who took his own life some seven years ago; Loretta's wish was to meet him on the other side.

Click Here for photos from the family memorial visit, January 7-9, 2005.

Click Here for photos of her business, Bird of Paradise.

Click Here for photo taken September, 2004

Click Here for Loretta's childhood photos

Click Here for Loretta's Photo Album 1950-1956

Click Here for Loretta's fur coat photos