Barbara J. Smolinska-Pyrich

Barbara Smolinska‑Pyrich, age 87, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on April 15, 2026. Barbara was the beloved wife of Janusz Pyrich for 57 wonderful years; the loving mother of Lukas (Jacqueline) and Sylvia Pyrich; the dearest daughter of the late Waleria and Józef Smoliński; the dear sister of Maria Smolińska; the sister‑in‑law of Andrzej (Teresa) and Jerzy (Krystyna) Pyrich; and a fond aunt of many.

Barbara was born in February 1939 in the southern Polish city of Tarnów, where she grew up with her sister, Maria. From an early age, she showed both intellectual talent and athletic ability. She pursued a career in civil engineering, a field in which she excelled through intelligence, precision, and quiet determination. At the same time, she played volleyball at a semi‑professional level, embracing the sport with passion and discipline.

In the mid‑1980s, Barbara and her husband, Janusz, made the courageous decision to defect from communist Poland with their two young children, Lukas and Sylvia. Leaving behind the familiar for the unknown, they sought freedom and the promise of a better future. The journey required extraordinary resolve and sacrifice, and Barbara carried that same spirit of determination throughout her life in the United States.

After settling in Chicago, Barbara continued her engineering career while building a new life for her family. She later found joy in swimming and yoga, embracing each with the same energy and enthusiasm she brought to everything she did. Her warmth, laughter, and presence lifted the people around her — whether on the volleyball court, at the pool, or on the yoga mat.

Barbara’s legacy is one of strength, courage, love, and quiet perseverance. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered.

Service Information

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Cumberland Chapels, 8300 W. Lawrence Ave., Norridge, IL.

Funeral services will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday at the funeral home, followed by a procession to Our Lady, Mother of the Church for Mass at 11:00 a.m.

Interment will follow at Maryhill Cemetery in Niles.

For more information, please call (708) 456‑8300.