Aldona “Granny” Kowaleski Travis, a longtime resident of Summerdale, passed away peacefully on Dec. 26, 2013.
Granny was born Nov. 1, 1913 in Thorpe, Wis. Along with her family, she moved to a small farm in Summerdale.
As a young lady, she graduated from Foley High School in 1932 then attended New Orleans School of Business.
After living in Queens, N.Y., she returned home to both Baldwin and Mobile counties, where she worked and lived life to the fullest.
She started and excelled in her professional career, first as a pharmacist technician than as a X-ray technician.
After retiring as a clerk with the Mobile County Courthouse, she returned to the medical/healthcare field she loved. Her profession in nursing at South Baldwin Hospital was a passion she enjoyed well beyond the average age most would retire.
Granny was extremely intelligent. She was an avid reader and could fluently speak three different languages.
Granny had a zest for life and all the adventures it had to offer. She with her daughter and best friend, Marilyn, traveled all over together and shared countless stories with family about their adventures abroad.
There’s no way to capture all of Granny’s 100 years of life’s accomplishments. However, she will always be forever remembered as our fun, adventurous, loving, generous, caring and “one-of-a-kind” Granny.
We will always cherish the memories and love Granny had for all and we had for her.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Thaddeus and Anna Kowaleski; her brothers, Alfred and Ted (Lois) Kowaleski; one sister, Helen K.(Hank) Allen; a son, Wayne Allen Travis Sr.; and a grandson, Jeffrey S. Travis.
She is survived by a son, Charlie (Glenda) Travis; a daughter, Marilyn Travis Sides; daughters-in-law, Ashley Elaine Travis and Sandra (David) Travis Hathaway; two nephews, Gerald and Patrick Allen; grandchildren, Robin Travis (Steve) Coffey, Wayne (Happy) Travis Jr., Mark Edwin Travis, Tracey Travis (Mal) Malinauskas, Adam Patrick Travis, David (Donna) Travis and Julie C. Travis (Laith) Bawanah; great-grandchildren, Kyle Steven Coffey, Katie C. (Garrett) Zoghby, Trevor Austin Travis, Zachary Michael Travis, Sarah Elizabeth Malinauskas, Erin Kailyn Travis, Abigail Francis Travis, Summer (Ihsan Nimer) Abdelghani, Mohammad Abdelghani, Abdallah Bowaneh; and Yusef Bowaneh; great-great-grandchildren, Mary Hyland Zoghby and Yasmin Nimer; and many very special friends and other relatives.
A family graveside burial was held Dec. 27, 2013. A memorial of her life will take place at a later date.
Arrangements by Mack Funeral Home & Crematory, Robertsdale.
