Valeria Cibicki

Valeria Cibicki, née Waleria Zofia Perzanowska, passed away on January 21, 2020. She was born on March 26, 1924, in Lisznia-Krzemieniec, Poland, to Tytus and Anna (Stankiewicz) Perzanowski. In World War II, she secretly delivered messages to the men in the forests, who fought for the Polish Underground Army. During the Warsaw Uprising, in August of 1944, the German Nazis captured Valeria, 20, and her sister, Maria, 18, and forced them to work at several slave labor camps. The sisters bagged sugar at Zuckerfabrik near Braunschweig, Germany. They were then deported to the SS-Reitschule labor camp and picked up building debris, by hand, after Braunschweig was bombarded. Their next deportation was to the Velden ammunition camp in Bavaria, Germany, where Valeria and her sister filled shells with explosive powder. They were then transferred to the Weissenburg camp in Bavaria, where the Nazis forced them to clean up the bombed city. The sisters witnessed a number of terrible things at these camps, but they remained together through it all. The Americans liberated their camp on April 23, 1945. Valeria was forever grateful to the United States for freeing the people of Poland. Valeria married Zbigniew Cibicki on June 2, 1945, in Weissenburg, Germany. They had four sons: Andrzej, Jan, Wojciech, and Tomasz. She worked as a seamstress at the Roksana Clothing Company, making beautiful clothes. Valeria was also a salesperson at a sports store and later, a secretary, all while raising her four boys. In 1987, Valeria visited Tomasz in Albuquerque, NM. When she arrived at the airport, she bluntly told him, "I not go back." She lived with him, her youngest son, and his family. Valeria's husband came to Albuquerque a year later and passed away shortly thereafter. On August 10, 1990, she married Wladyslaw Skiba and moved back to Poland, returning a month later. She divorced him in 1994. Valeria became a proud citizen of the United States on October 28, 1994. Valeria came to the Wenatchee Valley after Tomasz and his family chose to move here. She lived at Garden Terrace and enjoyed spending time with the many friends who surrounded her. She volunteered more than 10,000 hours at Central Washington Hospital. She said, "America has helped me. I want to give back something of me. It's a small gift." Valeria loved the Wenatchee Valley Senior Center and her many friends there. Valeria was an extremely kind, thoughtful, and generous woman. She sewed many beautiful articles of clothing and knitted hats, mittens, scarves, blankets, and sweaters for her family and dear friends. She was an amazing mushroom hunter, using them in pierogi for Christmas Eve dinner and in bigos for her son's hunting trips. She gave the warmest hugs and kisses to everyone she loved, whispering in each ear, "I love you so much". Valeria is loved by her sons: Wojtek (Malgorzata) Cibicki of Poznan, Poland and Tomasz (Vicky) Cibicki of Cashmere, WA; grandchildren: Marek, Michal, Maciej, Sylwia, Katarzyna, Kamila, Phil, Michael, and Alina. She dearly loved her many great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Zbigniew; sister Maria; and her sons: Andrzej and Jan. ***The Funeral Mass and reception, previously scheduled for Saturday, March 21st has been cancelled due to the COVID_19 pandemic and will be rescheduled at a later time. Thank you for your understanding.*** In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the community of Garden Terrace, 500 N. Emerson Ave., Wenatchee, WA, in Valeria's name. Chapel of the Valley, Wenatchee, WA, is assisting with arrangements. Please express your thoughts and memories in the online guestbook at chapelofthevalleyncw.com.

Valeria Cibicki

March 26, 1924 - January 21, 2020