Mary Pekacz Grychowski

Mary Pekacz Grychowski

Mary Pekacz Grychowski, age 83, of Erie, died Thursday, April 12, 2007 at her daughter’s home in Carlsbad, CA.

She was born November 2, 1923 in Kamien, Poland, a daughter of the late Thomas and Josephine Biskup Pekacz. When she was eighteen she was forcibly taken from her home in Poland to work in Germany during WWII. After the war, she met her husband, Antoni, in Ingolstadt, Germany and they were married on September 29, 1946. In 1950, they immigrated to the United States and settled in Erie. Mary and Antoni celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary in 1996.

Mary was a longtime member of Saint Boniface RC Church and was a member of the Legion of Mary. Through the Legion of Mary, she was involved with visiting the sick, prison ministry, and assisted with Sunday Masses at Pleasant Ridge Manor, East. She was also a member of the Ladies Auxiliary Polish American Veterans Club Post #17 and the Eastside Federation of Polish Clubs. She enjoyed traveling and visited Europe several times.

Mary will be remembered most for her deep commitment to her family and friends. Her gentle, caring, and god loving nature was a blessing to all who knew Mary.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Antoni Grychowski; three brothers, Joseph, Stefan and John Pekacz and one sister, Eva Pekacz. She is survived by two daughters, Sophia M. Matthews and her husband Anthony of Windermere, FL and Christine T. Justice and her husband Andrew of Carlsbad, CA, and one son, Richard A. Grychowski and his wife Sandra of Erie. She is also survived by 8 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren and many relatives in Poland.

Friends may call at the John R. Orlando Funeral Home, Inc., 2122 Raspberry Street, an Independent Care Group Affiliate, on Wednesday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. and Thursday from 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. and may attend a service there on Friday at 8:30 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass at Our Lady of Peace RC Church, 2401 West 38th St., at 9:00 a.m. Entombment will be in Mary Queen of Peace Cemetery Mausoleum. Memorials may be made to the Cathedral Preparatory School Scholarship Fund, 225 West 9th St., Erie, PA 16501 or to the San Diego Hospice and Palliative Care, 4311 3rd Ave., San Diego, CA 92103.