Obituary
After 78 years of life, Sidonia “Sidka” Denise Pompl was still beautiful, loving, determined and with the strength and fortitude of a Spartan to the end.
She was born in Holíč in the former Czechoslovakia, and grew up in the 1000+ year town of Skalica surrounded by picturesque wine country and generations of family. Her father was a watchmaker and revered wine maker and mother a devoted and loving nurse. Both were widely known, generous, and dedicated to her and her brother Emil. They were champions of the underdog and ran an underground Railroad for those of persecution during WWII. From them she inherited an open heart, resilience, and fierce dedication to the freedoms and liberties of the underdog.
Sidka soon had a beautiful baby daughter, Ivona. But this was a marriage of the old country and at an age of naivety, which did not last. Despite the idyllic beauty and loving family, Sidka was heartbroken and living with the constant fear of Cold War communist uncertainty; without an end in sight. Knowing the perils of the past, her family thought it best for her to seek a new life in America.
She came to the US, leaving Ivona with her parents until she could get settled and to limit suspicion of defection. Sadly, when she was ready to receive Ivona, the communists wouldn’t have it. This was another great heartache of her life.
In New York she met fellow brave Czechoslovakian immigrant Radomir Pompl, and in September 1971 I was born. After too many years of bribes and lawyers, Ivona finally came to the US to join the family. But time and clashing histories had already played out a harsh course. The individuals were tempered and strong but the family was worn and destined for separation, yet another great heartache.
But Spartans march on. In the late 70s Sidka had been making her way with just a high school education and broken English, in the hotel industry. Starting as a hostess at the Marriott and Sheraton, ushering celebs like Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, and Andy Warhol - who oddly enough asked her out on more than one occasion. She had her sights set higher, and she was soon a lead manager at the Helmsley Palace working directly with Leona, who taught her a thing or two about being a strong working woman.
But she also had her sights set on a bigger dream, to be an entrepreneur. In the early 80s she started ERA Limousine Service, providing 1:1 concierge services to the likes of Faber Castell, Germaine Monteil, Estée Lauder, Channel and Lancôme, and operated a personal limo for Peter Koral of 7 for All Mankind fame.
She was an underdog and fought for underdogs, and in the 80s established a licensing service through the NYC taxi and limousine commission that allowed small time drivers to penetrate the corporate dominated limousine market. She was a charmer and a go getter. Everyone knew her and had something nice to say about her. In business she always had smile, an insight, and some small gift to offer everyone. I remember thousands of logo printed pens, calendars, water bottles and wine at the holidays. And if there was a treat you liked, you could bet that she would have at least two of them warm and fresh in a little bag for you.
In her love life, after Radomir she met Steve Sanft and dated for years, they were a seemingly unlikely couple, but provided smiles and great stability to each other. Later in life, she met Zbyszek “Zibi” Kot. They were madly in love, the kind of match you would wait a lifetime for, and soon married. However, after only a few years of wedded bliss, Zibi died suddenly, rendering Sidka with her last great heartache.
Sidka was still Spartan strong, but with a saddened heart. Despite her best efforts and pushing forward, she developed Takatsubos cardiomyopathy, aka broken heart syndrome.
She was still active, now in real estate and travel, still fighting for and befriending underdogs, on the board of the Bohemian hall, and a long distance but proud grandma to Ivona’s son Curtis and my daughter Shiva.
One fateful spring afternoon in 2023, she went to the ER for chest pain and within minutes was being defibrillated. She was spared but her pulse was weak and an assist device was placed to help support her heart pump blood. But little did the doctors know that when they shocked her, a clot broke free from inside her heart, and the assist device was mercilessly forcing the clot into her bowel artery. This led to a catastrophic tissue death of 90% of her small and large intestine. I remember the 2 AM call when the surgeon asked me “should I take her bowel out or let nature take its course,” I knew the Spartan wanted to fight on.
After a long and complicated recovery Sidka was gratefully alive, and appreciative to have more time in this world.
Life had changed again, dramatically, but she did not batt an eye. She marched on.
She could no longer eat for sustenance but wanted to, had a permanent ileostomy, and no longer had the strength and ambulatory freedom she previously enjoyed. She was also now on life sustaining IV nutrition, TPN. This meant a nursing home and 12 hour intravenous infusions of TPN every night.
Unfortunately, she was not a candidate for a bowel transplant because of her advanced age. Ivona was in the middle of starting her new life on a 70 acre plot of land in rural Wyoming with hopes of building a farm animal sanctuary. And I was in Hawaii, where no nursing homes provide TPN. This was sad but did not phase Sidka. She made do, and started a new phase, not knowing how much time she had left.
She spent the last few years at Little neck care center in Douglaston NY. She was proud and grateful to remain in her hometown and with a truly caring, friendly and dedicated staff. They came to know and love her like a family member, they jokingly referred to her as “queen,” and said she had a heart of gold.
Sidka had no problem fighting on, because she was grateful for time and had faith in the future. But the winter of 2025 brought three hospitalizations at North shore community hospital and a question of what time was now bringing.
Despite being weak and struggling to breathe her heart melted when Shiva visited and lay on her bed. She was continually hugging her, kissing her and professing undying love in a new year. The Spartan was strong again, humbled by love and proud of the Legacy she was leaving behind.
Proud and strong, but weary and tired. Although TPN is an amazing invention, it is burdenous, and cannot sustain life indefinitely.
On January 16th, the intention of time was clear, and she was moved to the palliative care unit. Sidka had no difficulty accepting her lot, she was humble, grateful and loving even when most uncomfortable.
When I arrived at 9AM that day, she was blunted, could barely speak, but was still cogent and present. From that moment on, I held her hand at her bedside. I shared with her stories, played music from the old country, and some from the new, shared photos, videos and salutations, phone calls, and visitors.
Everyone shared love and beautiful sentiments, wishing the Spartan they knew strength and peace “drz sa Sidka” (hold on/fight on).
Flurries of a snowstorm slowly started falling outside the window of her room on the afternoon of January 17. They soon built into a white winter fury, and I thought wow Shiva would love this. In those moments Sidka opened her eyes and was more alert than I had seen her since arriving. She looked on me lovingly at her bedside, and held my hand a little tighter. Then at 2:14 PM, with no bother, no concern, no demand, and no protest, our beloved Spartan Sidka looked on me one last time, and breathed her last breath. In that moment, she and the snowstorm suddenly stopped and both were no longer there.
Sincere gratitude to you and Godspeed to your spirit and soul as they rejoin the universe. You will always be reflected in our hearts, and never forgotten in our memories. Thank you for all of your gifts and lessons, your love, and your authenticity. Your imperfections never had malice nor kept you from your mission. Sidka you reminded us we are all underdogs and need to look out for each other, that what you give to this world without fear you get back in faith in people. And most importantly, to never, under any circumstance, ever be ungrateful or give up.
Like us all, you are a winter storm, a bother or a delight depending on what one expects, but no matter what you leave behind an embracing cloud like blanket of white, pristine and waiting for impression. I will think of you always, and remember that you prefer to travel amongst the snowflakes, where Shiva and I will see you evermore.
Service
Per Sidka's wishes her ashes will be spread in Oahu, Hawaii and also laid to rest in an urn in Prietržka, Slovakia at her family plot on a memorial date TBD in the next year. RIP, you are forever in our hearts.
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