Lillian Orlowski

Lillian Orlowski lived a long and fruitful 98 years touching many lives on her life’s journey. Born Lillian Pumilia in a largely Italian neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York to Mariano and Gussie Pumilia, she was the third of four children: Marie, Anthony (father of Mario, John, Augusta and the late MaryAnne), Lillian and Vincent (father of Suzy and Vinny.) 

With no children of their own, Anthony’s children were loved by both Aunt Marie (Nelli) and Aunt Lillian who devoted extra attention to the oldest and youngest, Mario and MaryAnne, who were both born deaf. 

Lillian’s love of old time music began in her close-knit family with her father playing mandolin with his musical brothers. Her taste for fine Italian food can be attributed to her mother’s extraordinary cooking. 

She graduated from Lafayette High School in 1944 where she took Morse Code as an elective. Her high school yearbook stated that her ambition was “to own a convertible coupe.” (Lillian eventually owned several domestic and foreign cars, but never a convertible.) 

Lillian spent 38 years working at the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (where Marie was also employed), eventually becoming a supervisor in the Tabulating Division. They fondly remembered how generous the company was to their employees by providing on-site medical and dental benefits, home-cooked cafeteria meals and off-site amenities, such as horseback riding. Her favorite after hour memories were of attending Broadway shows and legendary Big Band performances in the Big Apple with her work friends. 

She married Stanley Orlowski in 1975 (who passed away in 1993) and became stepmother to his son John. John and his wife Victoria are the parents of Jeffrey and Tiffany. Mike and Tiffany Zarcone are the parents of twins Sierra and Stella. 

Lillian credited walking as the reason for her longevity. Though New Yorkers walk out of necessity, Lillian would walk weekly for several miles with her neighborhood friends along the Brooklyn shore where she witnessed the fall of the Twin Towers on 9/11. 

In 2014, Marie and Lillian moved to Grants Pass, Oregon to live with their nephew John and niece Augusta (with cherished visits from nephew Mario who lives in Portland). She welcomed Augusta’s boyfriend, Edward Wilkinson, and his sister, Nikki Wilkinson, into the family and they considered her their adopted aunt. 

The sisters especially enjoyed being loyal members of the audience whenever the District 4 chapter of Oregon Oldtime Fiddlers’ Association performed. The fiddlers in turn honored them with their music, friendship and love. 

Between being Marie’s dutiful caregiver until she passed away in 2021 and finding joy in everyday activities, such as grocery shopping, dishwashing, laundry, tackling crossword puzzles, playing computer card games, watching soap operas and classic movies on TV, gardening and admiring flowers, Lillian’s long life was blessed with abundant love both given and received.