Dalen Rohan

Dalen Urbanczyk Rohan, 96, of Panhandle, Texas died Thursday, September 14, 2006.BRBRRosary service is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 17, 2006 and Funeral Mass for 10:00 a.m. on Monday, September 18, 2006. Both services will be at St. Theresa's Catholic Church in Panhandle. Interment will be in Panhandle Cemetery under the direction of MintonChatwell Funeral Directors of Panhandle.BRBR

Dalen Urbanczyk Rohan

Dalen Urbanczyk Rohan, 96, of Panhandle died Thursday, September 14, 2006.

Rosary service is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Sunday, September 17, 2006, and funeral Mass for 10 a.m. on Monday, September 18, 2006. Both services will be at St. Theresas Catholic Church in Panhandle. Memorials may be made to St. Anns Home, Box 1179, Panhandle; or Sancta Maria Convent, Box 906, Panhandle.

Dalen was born July 11, 1910, in Rhineland, Texas, to Ben and Jane Urbanczyk. Ben was the son of Mary Czerner and Anton Urbanczyk. Anton immigrated from Poland in 1854 at the age of seven. Anton, Ben, and his brothers John and Felix, bought land from the White Deer Land Company. Her parents purchased land in the White Deer community in 1911 and were among the original settlers to establish the first Polish colony in the Texas Panhandle. The frontier circumstances the community faced were illustrated by an experience Dalen had when she was a baby. While sitting outside on the ground with her mother and father, they were forced to run to escape a large herd of buffalo.

Because Dalen was the oldest child, she was the one who learned English and taught it to the younger children. Her early school years were difficult because the Polish culture was new to the area, and they were sometimes not welcomed. And because of the fact that Dalens mother, Jane, had to help with work in the fields, Dalen was also often responsible for both the household and her brothers and sisters. At the time, women had to cook and bake for families and threshing crews, raise gardens, care for the orchards planted when the immigrants first arrived, and can vegetables and fruit. Because there was no refrigeration, meat was salted to keep it from spoiling or it was stored in melted fat and stored in a cool place.

She began school at Lakeview School 10 miles northeast of White Deer, then completed school in White Deer. Her memories of those school years included the fact that they had to carry water to school and that the ventilation of the school was through high transom windows. In winter, the teachers built a fire in a big stove in the corner of the room, as the children huddled together to keep warm. At times, the fire would simply blow up, scattering children and coal across the room. When the children went outdoors, they wore wool hats and long black hose. Dalens memories also included playing basketball on dirt surfaces with white painted markings, with rules that were different from those of today. Uniforms consisted of big black bloomers made of sateen.

Getting to school was by horse and buggy. Her father had a buggy with fringe on the top, as did her uncle, Felix. Her cousins, Buisz Urbanczyk and Severin Czerner, had to drive the buggies, as well as harnessing and unharnessing the horses. In order to drive the buggies, they took turns staying with Dalens family. Eventually, they went to school by car.

Her Polish heritage was a source of great pride for Dalen; she continued to speak Polish as her second language until her death.BRBR
a href'http:tests4

Service

Funeral Mass

St. Theresas Catholic Church
FM 293 and Hwy 60
Panhandle, TX  79068
Monday, September 18, 2006
10:00 a.m.

Cemetery

Panhandle Cemetery
Panhandle, TX  79068

Memorial Contributions

St. Anns Nursing HomeHa
P. O. Box 1179
Panhandle, TX  79068

Sancta Maria ConventHav
P.O. Box 906
Panhandle, TX  79068