Obituary for Bernadine Grutza (Frankowski)
Bernadine Grutza (nee Frankowski) passed away on June 3, 2021 at age 88, surrounded by her family. Loving mother of Gail (Joseph) Safranski, Michael (Cindy) Grutza, Leslie (Rick) Grutza-O’Leary, Matthew Grutza, and Andrew Grutza. Beloved gramma of Ben (Karen) Safranski, Salena (Eugene) Kwon, Mary (Joseph) Safranski/Mikolajczak, AJ (Taylor) O’Leary, Sunny (Anthony) Spears, and Riley Draheim. Great-gramma to Hanna, Leah, Hazel, August, Leopold, Drake, Asher and Autumn. Predeceased by her husband Sylvester Grutza, parents Edmund and Magdalene Frankowski, ‘brother’ Jack Frankowski, and great-granddaughters Ava and Willow. Bernadine is further survived by her sister Marlene Piojda, ‘brother’ Gene Frankowski, nieces, nephews and friends.
Bernadine instilled in her children a love of music, respect for education, an appreciation of a good home-cooked meal, and a deep sense of justice. Fiercely independent, Bernadine returned to college in her forties to receive her degree as a medical assistant and worked for more than 20 years as a surgical assistant to one doctor before retiring. She was an avid quilter, an exquisite seamstress with her own business for many years, and adored lighthouses, cooking, and Moon River. A voracious reader and lover of the written word with an adventurous spirit, she was an extraordinary storyteller forever shaped by her time living in France with her husband and soulmate of more than seven decades, Sylvester, who passed away in February 2020. Unafraid of challenges and whatever might come next, they met life head on, with no regrets. She always said she would have never changed a single moment. Always there with a loving, listening ear on the other end of the phone, her conversations, wit, and wisdom will be dearly missed. Her faith was of utmost importance, and she was a longtime member of Divine Mercy Parish in South Milwaukee.
Special thanks to Compassus Hospice Care, especially Adon, for their invaluable work providing Bernadine with care. In lieu of flowers, donations to Breast Cancer Research Foundation are appreciated. https://www.bcrf.org/
“Two drifters, off to see the world
There's such a lot of world to see.”
- Moon River -
Bernadine instilled in her children a love of music, respect for education, an appreciation of a good home-cooked meal, and a deep sense of justice. Fiercely independent, Bernadine returned to college in her forties to receive her degree as a medical assistant and worked for more than 20 years as a surgical assistant to one doctor before retiring. She was an avid quilter, an exquisite seamstress with her own business for many years, and adored lighthouses, cooking, and Moon River. A voracious reader and lover of the written word with an adventurous spirit, she was an extraordinary storyteller forever shaped by her time living in France with her husband and soulmate of more than seven decades, Sylvester, who passed away in February 2020. Unafraid of challenges and whatever might come next, they met life head on, with no regrets. She always said she would have never changed a single moment. Always there with a loving, listening ear on the other end of the phone, her conversations, wit, and wisdom will be dearly missed. Her faith was of utmost importance, and she was a longtime member of Divine Mercy Parish in South Milwaukee.
Special thanks to Compassus Hospice Care, especially Adon, for their invaluable work providing Bernadine with care. In lieu of flowers, donations to Breast Cancer Research Foundation are appreciated. https://www.bcrf.org/
“Two drifters, off to see the world
There's such a lot of world to see.”
- Moon River -