 After her parent's divorce, Tomaszewska-Bończa was raised by her maternal grandparents Kazimierza Skrzetuskiego and Maria (née Dobrowolska) Skrzetuska.She was the great-granddaughter of Antoni Skrzetuski, who was honored for his military service in the January Uprising.The family moved often during the war, living in Wrzesnia, Zwierzyniec, Przeworsk and Mogilno, before she entered high school in 1944.