Born the daughter of John and Mary Dudek (or Dudeck), Sophia (Zophia) married Joseph Masterka (Misterka) in Chicopee, Massachusetts on October 26, 1901. Together the couple emigrated to Fulton, New York, and then to Kalamazoo, Michigan. The story passed down to later generations was that the couple was actually planning to move to Minnesota, but Joseph died from the influenza while in Kalamazoo. Sofia became a widow with several young children to feed. Shortly thereafter, her second son, Edward, began working as a child laborer, to help support the family.
Sofia's life came to a tragic end when she was murdered on June 10, 1922 by Peter Billick, a former lodger in the Masterka home on Frank Street in Kalamazoo. According to the newspaper accounts of the time, Billick made romantic advances towards Sofia, and when he was rejected, Billick unexpectedly walked into Sofia's house and shot her three times. The incident was witnessed by the children. Billick then returned to his own home and committed suicide. Sofia was taken to the Old Borgess hospital where she died a short time later.
Sofia's life came to a tragic end when she was murdered on June 10, 1922 by Peter Billick, a former lodger in the Masterka home on Frank Street in Kalamazoo. According to the newspaper accounts of the time, Billick made romantic advances towards Sofia, and when he was rejected, Billick unexpectedly walked into Sofia's house and shot her three times. The incident was witnessed by the children. Billick then returned to his own home and committed suicide. Sofia was taken to the Old Borgess hospital where she died a short time later.
Born the daughter of John and Mary Dudek (or Dudeck), Sophia (Zophia) married Joseph Masterka (Misterka) in Chicopee, Massachusetts on October 26, 1901. Together the couple emigrated to Fulton, New York, and then to Kalamazoo, Michigan. The story passed down to later generations was that the couple was actually planning to move to Minnesota, but Joseph died from the influenza while in Kalamazoo. Sofia became a widow with several young children to feed. Shortly thereafter, her second son, Edward, began working as a child laborer, to help support the family.
Sofia's life came to a tragic end when she was murdered on June 10, 1922 by Peter Billick, a former lodger in the Masterka home on Frank Street in Kalamazoo. According to the newspaper accounts of the time, Billick made romantic advances towards Sofia, and when he was rejected, Billick unexpectedly walked into Sofia's house and shot her three times. The incident was witnessed by the children. Billick then returned to his own home and committed suicide. Sofia was taken to the Old Borgess hospital where she died a short time later.
Sofia's life came to a tragic end when she was murdered on June 10, 1922 by Peter Billick, a former lodger in the Masterka home on Frank Street in Kalamazoo. According to the newspaper accounts of the time, Billick made romantic advances towards Sofia, and when he was rejected, Billick unexpectedly walked into Sofia's house and shot her three times. The incident was witnessed by the children. Billick then returned to his own home and committed suicide. Sofia was taken to the Old Borgess hospital where she died a short time later.
