Dr. Aniela Cebulska Swider, known as Ala or Angie, age 82, of Chicago, Illinois, passed away on August 18, 2026, after a difficult recovery from emergent bypass surgery for severe peripheral artery disease in her right leg.
She lived a life marked by devotion to God, love for her family, a great sense of humor, and acts of generosity that touched everyone who knew her.
Aniela was born on January 1, 1944, in Poland, where she learned the value of hard work while helping on the family farm in Zaskale. She studied dentistry at the Jagiellonian University of Krakow, a reflection of her determination and desire to help others. She was united in marriage to her husband, Andrzej, who preceded her in death by two years. They married in 1972 in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Ludzmierz and settled in his family home in Poronin, a village at the base of the Tatra Mountains near Zakopane.
Communism and martial law made life in Poland challenging in the late 1970s, so the family made a difficult decision to come to the United States. Here, Ala worked hard with her hands again, saving money for the things that mattered most to her — providing a better life for their children and the opportunity to travel. Once retired, she and her husband drove countless miles crisscrossing the United States, enjoyed the sun on ocean cruises, and deepened their faith at shrines including Lourdes, Medjugorje, Guadalupe, and the Holy Land.
She was the beloved wife of the late Andrzej Swider and the loving mother of Dr. Elizabeth Swider (Adam Anasinski) and Christopher (Magdalen) Swider. She was the dearest grandmother of Andrew and Aleksander Anasinski, and Claire, Paul, and Patrick Swider.
She was the cherished daughter of the late Zofia (née Bilek) and the late Jozef Cebulski. She was the dear sister of the late John (the late Bernice) Cebulski, Stanley (Janina) Cebulski, and Frank (the late Irene) Cebulski. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.
May she rest in peace, finally reunited with her husband and still watching over us, now from heaven.
Funeral: Friday, August 21, 2026, 8:45 a.m. Prayers and procession to begin from the funeral home to Saint Faustina Kowalska Parish, 5255 S. McVicker Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, for 10 a.m. Mass.
Interment: Resurrection Cemetery, Justice, Illinois.