HUSBAND   Michael Symochko

WIFE        Natalia Symochko

Michael was born in Blekhnarka Poland on January 25, 1926 to Ambrozi and Serafia (Biszko) Symochko.
Michael Symochko came from a family of four; the oldest is his sister Anna (Symochko) Durkot. He was the second oldest, then his sister Tekla (Symochko) Ryzyk and his baby brother Szymon Symoczko. They all lived on a small farm in Blekhnarka.
Michael Symochko lived a very simple life as a child. He went to school for about six years until World War II began. He was then unable to continue his education. He got drafted to fight in the war in January 1945, and went oil the front to fight the German army. A few months later lie got shot in his left leg. He had surgery in an army hospital tent and then was transferred to a few different hospitals for recovery. Shortly after, lie was sent home. In 1947, Michael and his whole family were kicked out from their homeland and were taken to Oswiecim/Auschwitz. They were all going through inspection and for no reason his fattier got arrested and was put to Jail. Michael, his mom, his two sisters and baby brother were taken by wagons to Dobiegniew. Unloaded from the wagons, left in the middle of nowhere, they ended up living in a house with no windows, no doors and with six other families. Michael and his two sisters went to work for all Estate to make money for food and would come home only on weekends. During that time they tried everything they could to get their father Out of Jail, but nothing helped. After a year he was finally released and came to live with them. Shortly after Michael met Natalia (Peroh) Symochko. She worked at the same place lie did. It didn't take long before lie asked her to marry turn.
Natalia was born oil May 23, 1928 in Wysowa, Poland to Anastazia Rydzik and John Peroh. Her father moved to America when she was only eight months old. She never really knew him. She lived with her mom in Wysowa, went to school for about seven years and helped her mom on their little farm which they lived off of Her father was also helping them by sending money to help support them. In 1947, Just like all other families they were forced to leave their land and were transported Dobiegniew. She ended up living on a small estate with her mom in return to work for them.
They got married in a Roman-Catholic Church in Dobiegniew on October 21, 1948 and lived on her mother's farm. By then Michael was doing construction work (building houses) and was taking courses to become a Mason. Shortly after Michael started to do masonry work and would always be away from home, except weekends. After two years of their marriage, their first son, John Symochko was born on May 5, 1950. In March of 1951 their second soil, Stefan Symochko was born, who died at age of six months due to pneumonia. On Julie 14, 1955 they experienced another tragedy when their son, John passed away due to a complication after an appendix surgery. On March 16, 1956 their daughter Helen (Symochko) Zanowiak was born. In spring of 1957 they moved back to their homeland and lived in Wysowa on Natalia's mother's farm. On March 26, 1958 their son, Peter Symochko was born. Shortly after Michael's mom passed away.
On November 17, 1964 Michael, Natalia, their children, Helen and Peter and Natalia's mom made the big move to America. They came to live in Yonkers, New York. Just after being in America for four days Michael started working for Precision Valve and Natalia worked in a small factory making notebooks. A year later, Michael went to work as a grounds keeper for John D. Rockefeller and later on lie got a job in Yonkers General Hospital working in maintenance until lie retired on April 28, 1994. Natalia, after two years, went to work for Ward Leonard Electric Co. in Mt. Vernon, New York as an inspector and worked there for 20 years until the company shut down. At the same time her mom broke her leg and Natalia needed to stay home and take care of her.
On November 24, 1973 Michael's father passed away. During the first fourteen years they lived in a couple of different apartments until they finally moved to 69 Spruce Street in Yonkers where they presently live. They put their kids through school and in July of 1980 their daughter, Helen, got married        and moved away. In May of 1992 their son, Peter, married and in the same year Natalia's mother passed away.
Now both retired, they are spending their lives mostly at home taking care of their small garden. They go on vacations here and there, sometimes with their son and sometimes with their daughter. They have a lot of Lemko friends and the family got bigger so there is always some kind of event going on that they attend. But most of all they like to spend time with their kids and help out with five of their adorable grandchildren.