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Today, it is difficult to imagine any volunteer work without this women’s organization. She came from the gentry of the Jurkowski family. She was born near Kowel in Wołyń but spent most of her life outside of Poland.
First, in 1914, she was expatriated to the depths of Russia but briefly returned to Poland in 1918, before leaving again due to the ongoing battles. This time, her parents decided to move to the Czech Republic, before returning to their home in Wolyn a few years later.
After the death of her father in 1925, her mother decided to immigrate to America with the children, since her siblings already lived there. The family ended up in Winnipeg, Canada, instead of in the United States due to immigration difficulties.
Young Anastazja began to work as a seamstress but also quickly became known in the Polish community by becoming a member of the theatre ensemble; her beautiful recitations of Polish poetry were well-remembered.
In 1930, the entire family moved to Hamilton, Ontario. Finding work as a seamstress was difficult in this city, so for three years she worked as a waitress and, later, as a milliner of ladies’ hats, in order to complete a florist course at Agriculture College in Guelph and to open her own flower shop.
In 1957, she built Orchard Motel in Winona, Ontario, with her husband Jan Kozlowski. She joined The Polish Alliance of Canada in unusual circumstances. During her stay in Winnipeg, she had written poems that had been printed in the Polish-American press.
After her move to Hamilton, Anastazja continued her poetic output, signing them with her author’s last name Jurkowska and adding the name of the city, Hamilton. This intrigued the local Polish community, and August Pieprzak, PAC Branch 2’s President at the time, found the poems’ author and convinced her to join the Theatre Circle. This was in 1930, and a year later, she joined the ranks of PAC Branch 2.
The Great Depression in Canada in the 1930’s did not pass by Polish organizations, including PAC Branch 2. In 1935, the idea to create a women’s organization as a separate unit of Branch 2 was born. The Women’s Club was established but changed its name to the PAC Ladies’ Circle in the same year. Anastazja Kozlowska made up the statute, which was later approved by the PAC Head Executive Board. At the PAC General Assembly in 1937, the General Organizer position was created and given to Anastazja Kozlowska, who appealed to the delegates at the Assembly to create Ladies’ Circles within their branches. She filled this position until 1943, when she was forced to resign due to poor health.
She returned to it in 1951 and filled it until 1957, when the first PAC Ladies’ Circles’ Central Board was formed at a Ladies’ Circles’ Delegates’ General Assembly, and Anastazja Kozlowska was elected its first President.
Her biggest accomplishment first as General Organizer and, later, as President was the creation of all of the Ladies’ Circles. Anastazja Kozlowska was President until 1969, but even after that, she was always interested by the affairs of this organization that was near to her heart.
In 1975, she was elected Vice-president of the PAC Head Executive Board and became a Head Executive Board representative in the Place Polonaise Management. For two years, she was the chairperson of that centre. Anastazja Kozlowska’s volunteer work was not limited to The Polish Alliance of Canada. On September 1, 1939, she had expressed a desire to cooperate with the Canadian Red Cross. Its Head Executive Board had allowed her to create a Polish Section, which she chaired. The Polish Section organized events, fundraised, and donated all of its revenues to Polish Army camps, displaced people in Russia, and refugees.
Thanks from the Canadian Red Cross’s highest-ranked officials demonstrated the well-fulfilled patriotic responsibility of the Polish Section. In 1950, the Polish National Treasury was established in Canada. Anastazja Kozlowska joined the Head Committee and, for two years, was Eastern Canadian Vice-president of this organization.
She chaired Community Caretaking of the Canadian Polish Congress Head Executive Board; as President of the Ladies’ Circles’ Central Board, she was a member of the provincial board of the Council of Women of Canada.
In 1955, she became a member of the “Symfonia” Choir. She belonged to the Ladies’ Auxiliary of Royal Canadian Legion Polish Branch 315 in Hamilton for over thirty years.
When the Multicultural Council was established in 1971, Anastazja Kozlowska entered it as a representative of the Canadian Polish Congress, becoming the organization’s Vice-president and, later, President. She was President for two years.
Anastazja Kozlowska was also a member of the Polonia Club Polish Hall. As recognition for her accomplishments and devoted work for the Polish-Canadian community, the Canadian Polish Congress and The Polish Alliance of Canada, the PAC gave Anastazja Kozlowska honourary membership at the XXX PAC General Assembly.
Anastazja Kozlowska died in 2003. For many generations of Polish-Canadians, she will remain an unparalleled example of a volunteer involved in affairs of the Polish community, Poland, and Canada.
Order of Canada – Member of the Order of Canada – December 29, 1986
Past President of the Canadian Red Cross (Polish Branch), she has devoted more than 50 years of her life to voluntary service and community work in the City of Hamilton while retaining strong ties with the Polish-Canadian community and, also, since its founding, with the Multi-Cultural Council.
Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee Medal (2002)
