Betty Jean Gorecki Polivka

Betty Jean Gorecki Polivka, 96, passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 14, 2024, at Trinity Elms Assisted Living. She was born to the late Joseph Gorecki and Mildred Nemechek Gorecki on October 31, 1928, in Chicago, Illinois. 

She graduated in the class of 1947 from Downers Grove High School. Soon after, Betty went to work for Western Electric at the Hawthorne Plant. It was there she met the love of her life, Rudy. As Rudy worked with Betty, he soon invited her to play a round of golf which was their first date. This resulted in the two being married in Clarendon Hills, Illinois. Rudy was transferred to Winston-Salem to help start the new Western Electric plant. What they thought would just be a temporary move ended up with the couple deciding to stay in Winston-Salem permanently. Betty spent a huge part of her life playing golf and bowling for sport. Betty and Rudy were founding members of the Pine Brook Country Club, now known as Maple Chase Country Club. It was here Betty excelled at golf by winning 24 Women’s Club Championships. She played 25 years with the NC and SC Women’s amateur golf teams. During this time, she spent 20 years as a regular player and 5 as one of two senior players on the team. Betty won numerous Women’s golf titles across the state. She entered the US Women’s amateur golf event and lost in round 2. Her next opponent would have been a Hall of Famer who was half her age, Nancy Lopez. During her career Betty had 4 holes in one. Betty had a strong competitive side and was a natural born athlete. She enjoyed bowling and won numerous city championships. She was the first in the state to win the Women’s International Bowling Congress. Betty competed in the Women’s bowling Nationals for over 40 years. In her younger years Betty helped her son’s friends in the summertime work on their baseball skills. She also played softball for a few years at Miller Park. In her spare time away from sports you could find Betty playing bingo and spending time with her family. Now, she is now happily reunited with her family on the beautiful golf course in the sky.

In addition to her parents, Betty is preceded in death by her loving husband of 57 years, Rudolph J. Polivka; and siblings, Joseph Gorecki, and Dolores Wiker. 

She is survived by her sons, Alan Polivka (Jane), and Mark Polivka (Chris); grandchildren, Matthew Polivka (Beth Ann), and Kristen Greene (Jack); great-grandchildren, Laura Polivka, Rudy Polivka, and Ryan Greene.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the local American Red Cross serving the Piedmont Triad in NC in honor of Betty at PO Box 14710 in Greensboro, NC 27415.

A graveside service will be held at Forsyth Memorial Park.