Ann Julia Bolitski

Aiken - Miss Ann Julia Bolitski entered into eternal rest on October 19, 2019 at age 102.

Miss Bolitski and her twin brother, Richard Bolitski, were born in Dover, NJ on September 27, 1917.  Miss Bolitski was predeceased by her parents, Michael and Mary Bolitski, and twin brother Richard Bolitski.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 1:00 PM on Thursday, October 24, 2019 at Old St. Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church, 125 Park Avenue in Aiken, SC.  Burial will be next to her mother in Lexington, MA.

Miss Bolitski attended St. Mary’s Parochial School and St. Mary’s Church in Dover, NJ.  After finishing school in West Orange, NJ and deciding on a career in fashion, she attended Executive Training at L. Bamberger & Company in Newark, NJ.  She also attended Drake Business School and Feagin Dramatic School in New York.

She began her career at L. Bamberger & Company in Newark, NJ as a Dress Fabric Fashion Consultant where she became a buyer and was known as Mary Madison, writing articles and conducting fashion shows.  Through her public fashion shows, Vogue Magazine contacted her and put her in touch with the President of Rich’s in Atlanta, GA.  Shortly after, Miss Bolitski headed south to become the Fashion Consultant for the Dress Fabric Department at Rich’s where she later became a buyer, and continued to conduct fashion shows.  She left Rich’s to become Vice President and Sales Manager for Pola Stout Company, a manufacturer of dress fabrics.  Later on another return to Rich’s, she entered into the home furnishings field and applied her fashion knowledge to decorative items for the home.  Her final move was to Jordan Marsh Company in Boston, MA where she became Fashion Director of all home furnishings.   She started by introducing once a year what was known as “Good Taste in Living”.  She traveled throughout the US and all over the world to more than 35 countries for new ideas and trends in home furnishing products.  She would set up model rooms featuring the latest world-wide trends with everything from floor coverings to window treatments, fine china, furniture, and decorative items that all would relate to one another.  Upon retiring from Jordan Marsh, she started her own Interior Design Business.

Miss Bolitski was presented with awards including The New England Chapter of the National Home Fashions League, Inc. where she received the Medal of Merit Plaque in 1960.  She was presented with a silver bowl from The Fashion Group of Boston in 1962.  She was also listed in The World Who’s Who of Women.

When complete retirement came, Miss Bolitski searched for a home in the South.  She read in a magazine about a unique town in SC called Aiken that caught her eye.  The fact that there was a St. Mary’s Catholic Church brought back memories of her childhood.  Miss Bolitski spent time riding horses when she was young so Aiken being a horse community was another plus.  She found Aiken to be a lovely environment with the warmth of open arms to newcomers and has called it home for over ­­­15 years.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to St. Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church, 203 Park Avenue SE, Aiken, SC 29801.

A special thank you to the staff of Benton House and Kindred Hospice for the love and support shown to Miss Ann.

Miss Ann’s online guest book may be signed at www.shellhousefuneralhome.com

SHELLHOUSE FUNERAL HOME, INC., 924 HAYNE AVE., AIKEN, SC