Family

Barbara Ann Radnofsky comes from a family of immigrants from all over the world, including Spain, Portugal, England, and Russia. Barbara Ann’s father, Matthew Radnofsky, was a NASA scientist.

First Lt. Matthew I. Radnofsky, Army Air Corps, 8^th Air Force, 423^rd Bomb Squadron, 306^th Bomb Group out of Thurleigh Airfield, Bedfordshire, England.

On November 21, 1944, on his 24^th mission, while serving as lead navigator for the element, Lt. Radnofsky’s Boeing B-17G was hit over Germany.  Lt. Radnofsky was partially paralyzed by flak.  A fellow crew member put his own parachute on Lt. Radnofsky, and then helped him parachute out.  Lt. Radnofsky was captured by the German populace.  Hospitalized, he recovered in Veckta, Germany.  He was released to German POW Camp Stalag 11-B, then three months later transferred to Dulag Luft Wet.  Lt. Radnofsky “left” the camp towards the end of the war, reaching Allied lines near Frankfurt.  He flew to England in April 1945.

Barbara Ann and her mother recently celebrated her mother's 80th birthday and a large family reunion. Four generations of her mother's family came together, fifty cousins strong, for a family gathering. Family meetings began regularly in 1937 Anna and Julius Eisenberg had eight children. Barbara Ann's maternal Grandpa Mac came to this country as a young child, arriving with one of his sisters. He was the youngest of the 8 children, who begot 29 first cousins, 59 second cousins, 86 third cousins, 64 fourth cousins, and one fifth cousin (as of this writing).

Grandpa Mac was a hardware clerk, then a pipefitter during World War II. All three of his children attended the reunion with many of his nieces, nephews and related descendants. His nephew Erv, who won the Distinguished Flying Cross, was coaxed to tell a few stories. The days were spent swapping stories, updating the family tree, taking photos, eating and sharing more stories. The family boasts many fine musicians, so we didn't want for good music this trip, and everyone enjoyed the trivia contest over family lore, which included Auntie Hilda's military service as a WAC in Mission, Texas during World War II. The oldest living grandchild is 105, so Barbara's mother is a youngster at 80.

Barbara Ann’s paternal grandfather was Morris Radnofsky, a Boston postal worker.

Morris Radnofsky, USN, served aboard the USS Seattle, 1918.

Morris Radnofsky long and proudly served as commander of his local American Legion Post.

Barbara Ann married Ed Supkis MD, a native of Marshall, TX on May 2, 1982.  They were introduced by their fathers, both NASA scientists. Here they are in a photo by famed space artist Bob McCall, in front of McCall’s “Vision for Tomorrow”.

Ed and Barbara Ann have three children, Danielle (21), Max (18), and Michaela (16), as well as a Golden Retriever, Vickie (12).

Here are Barbara and Ed's kids.

 

Max and Mom at the West University Democrats meeting