Josephine Zmolek celebrated her 100th birthday on March 2nd with over 70 friends and family at the home of her daughter, Patricia Steen (a Forney resident). Josephine’s parents were immigrants from Czechoslovakia and settled in Hillsboro, Texas where Josephine was born in 1924. At age 20, she moved to Dallas and worked as a nanny.
She met her husband, Frank Zmolek, of Ennis, Texas and was married in 1947. She and Frank lived in Oak Cliff until they moved to Forney in 1969. They were members of St. Martin Catholic church in Talty. Frank being a carpenter built their home south of Forney on McMahan Lane and FM 740. They were grateful for great neighbors, one of which was the minister of the First Baptist Church, Rev. Jerry and Helen Griffin.
Frank and Josie enjoyed working in their 2-acre garden and sharing many vegetables, cantaloupes, and watermelons with their neighbors. They also grew poppies to use the poppy seeds to make Josie’s coveted poppy seed kolaches. The poppies bloomed beautiful flowers but also brought a visit from the FBI who wondered what these poppies were used to make. Josie and Frank never dreamed there would be a use for poppies other than food.
Josephine and Frank had 7 children. Her three youngest sons, Gary, Tim, and Greg, all graduated from Forney High School. Josephine now has 13 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren, and 5 great, great-grandchildren, many of whom attended Forney schools and still reside in Forney.
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