Barbara Piasecka Johnson, Maid Who Married Multimillionaire, Dies at 76

I love her story! I still remember daily the articles in the local papers.
It was a fascinating look inside the lives of the very rich.


nytimes.com/2013/04/04/nyregion/barbara-piasecka-johnson-maid-who-married-multimillionaire-dies-at-76.html

anybody else remember her?

I knew she was one of the wealthiest women in the world.

No, but I agree it's a captivating story, and almost quintessentially American don't you think? She sure hit Life's Jackpot, that's for certain.

That's what I was thinking too ;)

You "love" the fact that Ms Johnson married into a fortune and that Mr. Johnson's kids were cheated out of many millions of dollars?

Good for her. And him ;-)


From the NYT article:




Odd that the NYT thinks Basia is pronounced

I don't know ZImmy, I "love" the story as well and am happy for her and her husband too.

Sounds like they had a good life and she did what she could to bring culture and happiness to many.

As for the children, they had a party afterward and, courtesy of their trust funds FROM THEIR FATHER are comfortable.

Bill Gates is clear that he doesn't intend to leave his children billions but supports philanthropic projects worldwide. His statement was that he expected to leave them around 10 million or so (think that was 2003 or so dollars) and trust funds to make them comfortable but not super-rich.

Sounds okay to me, it's his money.

Zimmy, Zimmy... Spitting his anger again, even tho he knows the heck nothing about their lives. *rolling eyes*
Buddy, you lose your credibility with such reactions. Be careful.

It would seem that any opinion that does not agree with yours is deemed "anger" or in the past you have alluded to "hate", "racist" etc. I merely think that instead of taking hundreds of millions Ms Johnson could have been

more decent if she took $100 million and left the rest to the kids. That's my opinion.


Actually I do. I even personally know another Polish woman who inherited many millions through marriage. You seem to assume so much incorrectly. It's a 'gift' you have.


My honest opinion only loses "credibility" with the ignorant.

i say good on her and him they had fun enjoyed their life and the old boy chose to leave his money to his wife what more can you say if he raised his kids to be such brats than thats their problem bit of hard graft and paying your own way never hurt anyone thats what i was taught anyway

Then I'm dumb as a stick. Look at Jon's citation:


This man wanted this woman, he got her, and he loved having her. You really show your psychic pain by announcing how incomprehensible you find that. Some men DO love women.

It's a close call but okay.
As to the kids, lots of older people lose their ability to think clearly. When a new much younger woman moves into the household as a wife she frequently controls the 'thinking' of older men who want to relive their younger lives. I congratulate Ms Johnson on her 'upward mobility' but attempting to take the whole fortune is a bit much. I'm sure the overpaid lawyers had much to do with her decision to go for the home run.

She. Was. The. Maid.
You don't think the guy that invented the freaking BAND-AID was smart enough to know what he was doing? And for the lova' God, stop with the faux "I'm a sensible person whom weighs every fact evenly on my cosmic scale before rendering a sound and non-emotional verdict" nonsense. You despise women, and you work backwards from there to rationalize it.

His money. His decision to whom he bequeaths it. His success in business suggests he knew exactly what he was doing where money was concerned.

How much he was worth?

Nope, just have a look at all your posts here. You are the angry one. Most of your posts are to denigrate women.
You must have had some serious issues with women.


I'm not so sure the Johnsons need your opinion. I think they thought the whole thing through and decided that's what they wanted.

Unless you know them personally (and not some other Polish woman), what do you know about them? How is it your problem?


Thanks for listing my gifts. But no, you don't know them personally. Or prove it. Did you talk to their kids maybe? Or heard gossips?


Yes, once again, calling others ignorants helps you convince yourself you're the right one. Sad.

Article says about $500 million.

I've always said that the guy who invented the band-aid did know what he was doing. lol
You're not trying to equate marrying into money as being the same as inventing something, are you?


When you don't have an argument you attempt to use this embarrassing tactic. It's so low-life.


They're quite excellent aren't they?


Grrrr, lol. Try to make a cogent case instead of some assumptive liberal attack. You liberals never learn.


I believe we were discussing Mrs Johnson but being a liberal, it's difficult for you to focus on the pertinent discourse. I really don't have to defend my many positive relationships with women, including my 2 daughters. But then, liberals like you spew these attacks all the time.


I never said it was my "problem" now did I?


It shows with your many false assumptions and straw-dog arguments, some listed in quotes above. At least I don't in knee-jerk fashion call someone a "hater", a "racist", etc.

Humour and denial, that'll help ;)


There you go again. Same arguments, over and over again. And I should learn? From you? No thanks.


You discuss Mrs Johnson as you discuss women in general. Don't play stupid.


Says the guy who makes loads of assumptions based on discutable sources.

His money his decision, evidently he was lonely.

Lovely story a real Cinderella

..his kids got something substantial and he treated her as true wife and friend by leaving his estate to her ("cleave unto your wife").

And his kids can't be cheated out of something that was possibly never promised to them. They got good.

Barbara Piasecka Johnson's obituary in the LA Times today notes that she received a degree in Art History before emigrating to the USA from Rome. For some of us being versed in Art History is an extremely interesting and attractive quality. Barbara Piasecka Johnson was already an accomplished human being before she "married into money".

His kids were hardly poor to start with were they?
He married her, it was his money. and he was fully entitled to leave his money to whoever he wanted to.
He obviously loved his wife and wanted her to be the beneficiary of his will.
Simple.

Absolutely true, IF he was in his right mind. Maybe he was, maybe he wasn't. If the latter, then the kids got screwed.


That has nothing to do with the higher premise.


I only play smart. That's why I live in Chicago's Gold Coast.


Ah, every woman's dream. Marry a wealthy man :)

edit: ......or a prince :)

If he was - screw such greedy kids!

Since we don't know, we can't tell. Right?


Playing smart doesn't mean you're right anyway, quite a big difference here ;)


Yes, all women are greedy and selfish. Real monsters ;)
And Zimmy is a real masculinist. Which is your right, of course.

Looking at the photos of the two of them???? married him for love???? doubt it!!!!
No fool like an old fool eh!

Wanting a (possible) rightful inheritance doesn't make the kids greedy - just their legal and possibly moral due.


Right!


Right again.


Never said that. I only commented to another posters reference that this was a Cinderella story. Women seem to like them.


Ah, making me the subject yet again. Some bad habits are hard to break. I'm sure you can overcome this dubious inclination of yours though. I see potential in you.


Oh, it must have been true love. I'm sure she would have married him even if he was dirt poor :)

And men like football and cars. Except that I know many guys who don't like football and cars. Stereotypes, you probably know them enough to avoid them ;)


I'm very flattered.


Maybe yes, maybe not. Of course, it's quite unlikely, but 'guessing' is not right.

Moral? They got money from his father, probably more than enough. Wanting - makes people greedy.