Valeria “Mama” Kowalski of St. Cloud, formerly of Kimball, died on Friday, May 23, 2003, at Sterling Park Healthcare Center in Waite Park. She was 89 years old. Funeral services were held at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 27, at Dingmann Family Funeral Chapel in Sauk Rapids with Rev. Harold Wiehoff officiating. Entombment followed at Hilltop Mausoleum in Sauk Rapids. Friends called two hours prior to the services on Tuesday at the funeral home. Valeria was born June 26, 1913, in Inowroclaw, Poland, to Andrew and Julia (Pavinski) Nowak. She married Anthony Kowalski in Inowroclaw; they came to America in 1949. Valeria was a homemaker and lived in Kimball most of her life. According to her children, Valeria had a great sense of humor and was the best mom in the whole world. Valeria was preceded in death by her parents; husband Anthony on March 21, 1997; three sisters and five brothers. She is survived by her children Joseph (and Marie) Kowalski of Gurnee, Ill.; Claude Kowalski of Waite Park; Linda McGraw of Plymouth, and Mary Kowalski of Waite Park; eight grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. Arrangements were by Dingmann Family Funeral Chapel in Sauk Rapids.
