Some Notes and Stories by Chick

I hope someone is writing this all down.

Left out of all of this mix are the children of Joan, the youngest of Louis and Dora Gureasko’s children.  She was married to Artie Pressman and the lived in Flemington, NJ and had three children.  These are Lenny (who died young in a motorcycle accident), Sandy (last name Doris will have to supply) and Eddie.

Sandy has also been doing extensive research on the family.  Doris is in touch with her and can hopefully contact her for her input.

Also left out is Jackie, a half brother of Hilda, Marty, Ruth and Joan.  He was born to Louis and Esther (aka, the wicked step mother).  Jackie had two children.  Martin L. Gureasko and Jacqueline.   Both live in the south somewhere and Martin L. last I heard was in a Christian rock band.

Also left out was a half brother, Irving, who was the son of Esther and came into the family when Louis Gureasko remarried after the death of Dora.

Wonderful story about Irving.  As I heard it, he was a marine in combat in the South Pacific (Guadalcanal) in WWII.  He and other nearby marines ducked into a shelter under fire.  As they introduced themselves, one of the other marines turned to Irving and said, “I think you are my brother.”  It seems that when Esther divorced her first husband she had two sons not just one.  She took the baby (Irving) when she left, but not the older son.  The older son knew there was a younger brother, the younger son (Irving) did not know he had an older brother.  They met for the first time under fire in the South Pacific.  Or so the story goes.

Louis Gureasko came to this country in the 1880’s with his father.  As I understand it his father came first with the older children after being warned that there was a pogrom in the offing and that he  might be targeted. He then brought his wife (Doris can you supply the name) some time thereafter.  The younger of his children were born here, but am not sure where the cut off it.  Dorothy, Edyth and Max, the youngest of this brood were born here, but I am not sure beyond that.

Max was father of Russ Gureasko and sisters Ronnie and Florence.  Ronnie and Florence are still alive and may possibly be the only one’s left alive from that generation.

The only other one from that generation who might still be alive is Gladys (Stetzer).  I am not sure.

Gladys is the youngest sister of: Louis Gureasko (New Orleans – Married to Beate, father of Jacqueline and step father to Jeanette Dreskin, a medical illustrator and living in Greenville, SC plus…

…Eddie Gureasko (married to Esther) who is in one of the pictures who was father to Linda Yang and Stephen Gureasko…

…and Pearl and Edna.

Gladys had two children.  Cynthia who is in one of the pictures and Richard (who I believe lives in Houston).

Doris will, I hope, supply the names of the other brothers, sisters and cousins of that generation.

I believe Louis’ father came from near Odessa.  His mother came from a city called Kamianets-Podilskyi, also in the Ukraine.

One last note.  In the event none of you know this, Dora (mother of Hilda, Marty, Ruth, Joan) has TB for several years and died in the Flu epidemic of 1919, shortly after the birth of Joan.

And I think that is about it for the moment.

Hope this is helpful.  please feel free to ask questions.