Best Friends

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Subjects: Steve Holasek and Joseph Frank Forrai(age 15 years).
Date: 1928.
Occasion: Unknown.
Location: Cudahy, Wisconsin.
Photographer: Unknown.
Relationship to me: Father.

Once my mother retired, she went through the boxes of photographs and created historical photo albums. She made one for myself and one for my brother. Since my father's side of the family was poor and large, there are not many photographs from my father's youth. In the next few weeks, I will be posting the few that I have. The Bockay/Forrai's could not afford to make copies, so snapshots were shared. Therefore, they have been scattered amongst the family.

If my father looks unhappy in these photographs, it is because he did not have an ideal childhood. His biological father, Louis Forrai, passed away in 1919 from the Flu Pandemic. The Hungarian community arranged the marriage between Paul Bockay and Rose Forrai. My father did not have a good relationship with his step father.

This is the earliest photograph that I have of my father and his best friend, Steve Holasek. They remained friends throughout their entire lives. My dad told the story that Steve's dad was a moonshiner during prohibition. He eventually got caught, and was jailed. This put an economic hardship on Steve and his mother.

The Holaseks did have more money than my father's family. While my father longed to attend and graduate from college, this dream never did come true. Steve, on the other hand, attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison and obtained a Bachelor's degree. I remembered that Steve was married, but I believe they had no children. When I graduated from High School, Steve provided me with a very generous gift that help pay for my college education. Perhaps in a way he felt bad that he was able to attend college, but his best friend never had the chance.

In Memory of

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William F. Strei




Gloria Strei




Joseph Frank Forrai




Norma Waswo Forrai




William F. Strei Prayer Card



William F. Strei Prayer Card

Obituary from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel



Appreciation Card from Gloria Strei

 I am taking a break this week from the family timeline, to pay tribute to a very close family friend. If you remember from my past post(Gloria and Helen LaPorte), Helen LaPorte was best friend with my Grandmother, Lucy Traulsen Waswo. Their two daughters became best friends, Gloria LaPorte Strei and Norma Waswo Forrai. Gloria's husband was William F. Strei, who passed away on April 1, 2011. These photographs were taken on July 25, 1998 at the home of William and Gloria in Brookfield, Wisconsin.

Although, no blood relationship existed, sometimes friends can be closer than relatives. This is the case with the Strei's and the Forrai's. Unfortunately, time brings all friendships to an end, and Gloria is the remaining member of this friendship. William and Gloria were married in August 1947 and my mother was Gloria's maid of honor. William and Gloria were married for 63 years, a real tribute to love and commitment.

I have always referred to Bill and Gloria as my "Uncle" and "Aunt". They will always be as close and dear in my heart as my 'real' Uncles and Aunts.

With this posting I wish to express my deepest sympathy to my Aunt Gloria, and Uncle Bill's remaining family and friends. My Uncle Bill was a very special person and will be missed by all who knew him.

Road Trip

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Subjects: (Left to Right): Paul Bockay(age: 47 years), Joseph Forrai(age: 15 years), George Bockay(age: 45 years), and Rose Forrai Bockay(age: 40 years).
Date: 1928.
Occasion: Unknown.
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Photographer: Unknown.
Automobile: 1925 Hudson.
Relationship to me: Step-Grandfather, Father, Step-Grand Uncle, and Paternal Grandmother.

Once my mother retired, she went through the boxes of photographs and created historical photo albums. She made one for myself and one for my brother. Since my father's side of the family was poor and large, there are not many photographs from my father's youth. In the next few weeks, I will be posting the few that I have. The Bockay/Forrai's could not afford to make copies, so snapshots were shared. Therefore, they have been scattered amongst the family.

If my father looks unhappy in these photographs, it is because he did not have an ideal childhood. His biological father, Louis Forrai, passed away in 1919 from the Flu Pandemic. The Hungarian community arranged the marriage between Paul Bockay and Rose Forrai. My father did not have a good relationship with his step father.

My father started his first year of high school. I am unclear whether he ever completed it. At this time, the family was lacking money, so my father went off to work at Patrick Cudahy Meat Packers in the mail room. I have never found a high school diploma or GED. It is unclear whether my father ever finished high school.

He eventually worked his way up at Patrick Cudahy to traffic manager, and that was his job when I was born. The company changed hands in the early 1960's, and that was when my dad left. From there he pursued real estate and construction. He was a licensed broker as well as realtor. Eventually he partnered, and ran a new residential home construction company until he retired at age 65.

School Days

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Subjects: First row, 4th from left, Joseph Frank Forrai(age 14 years).
Date: 1927.
Occasion: 8th Grade Graduation.
Location: Cudahy, Wisconsin.
Photographer: Unknown.
Relationship to me: Father.

Once my mother retired, she went through the boxes of photographs and created historical photo albums. She made one for myself and one for my brother.  Since my father's side of the family was poor and large, there are not many photographs from my father's youth. In the next few weeks, I will be posting the few that I have. The Bockay/Forrai's could not afford to make copies, so snapshots were shared. Therefore, they have been scattered amongst the family.

I believe this is the 8th grade graduation photograph from my father's class. I know that dad continued school and was in high school. He would tell me stories that he excelled and was placed in higher level classes. He never told me whether he graduated. I have never found an actual high school diploma, nor any record of his graduation.

The story my father tells, is that he left school to work in the mail room of Patrick Cudahy, a meat packer. He eventually worked his way up to traffic manager, and that was his job when I was born. The company changed hands in the early 1960's, and that was when my dad left. From there he pursued real estate and construction. He was a licensed broker as well as realtor. Eventually he partnered, and ran a new residential home construction company until he retired at age 65.

Norma and George, Summer 1924

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Subjects: (Left to Right): George Daniel Waswo Jr.(age: 7 years), and Norma Elsbeth Waswo(Forrai)(age 3 years).
Date: Summer 1924.
Occasion: Unknown.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Photographer: Unknown.
Relationship to me: Mother and Maternal Uncle.

This photograph was not in the album that my mother fashioned, I remember as a child during the 1970's, my mother found this photograph and put it in a frame. It hung on the 'wall of relatives' in our hallway.

This has always been one of my favorite photographs. I am sure a street vendor came around with a goat and cart and took photographs. I am so glad that my grandparents had this photograph taken.

The handwriting at the bottom is of my Grandmother Lucy Traulsen Waswo.