- Date Of Birth: August 15, 1921
- Date Of Death: February 22, 2017
- State: Florida
Grace Waniewski, 95 1/2, our most wonderful mother, grandmother and great grandmother died peacefully in her sleep on February 21, 2017, surrounded by her loving family.
Grace’s parents, Justin and Salome Czapkewicz, emigrated from Lithuania. Grace, born on August 15, 1921 in Mays Landing, NJ. was the youngest girl of 8 surviving children. Her family moved to a farm near Pottstown, PA where she attended a one-room schoolhouse. Grace told many stories of her adventures growing up on the farm during the Great Depression. Although she loved school, Grace left high school to work in a sewing factory in Philadelphia. She met Chester Thomas Waniewski and they were married October 11, 1941.
Grace and Tom lived in Holmes, PA in a house that Tom built and raised their children, Sally, Walter and Donna. They moved to Cape Canaveral in 1980 and Tom built the home there also. They were married 59 years before he died in the year 2000.
Grace worked at Aercon in Clifton Heights, PA. In Florida she became the best babysitter for her grandchildren.
Grace had a long and happy life. She always put her family first. She taught us the value of hard work, trying your best and never giving up. Grace will be forever loved and greatly missed. As her granddaughters say, “Grace taught us how to be good mothers.”
Grace was predeceased by her beloved husband and by her beautiful granddaughter, Gailya Lynn Waniewski. Also, by her parents, her brothers Stanislau, Brownislau, Albert and her sisters Patricia, Anne, Della and Martha.
Grace is survived by her children, Sally Mixon (Carl), Walter (Peg) and Donna Jones (Dan). Grandchildren are Grace Punska (Chris), Carl Mixon (Kasia), Sandy, Tom (Amy), Deirdre Crowder (Chris), Colleen Walker (James), Dan Jones, and Ariane.Jones. There are 12 great grandchildren: Katie and Mark Punska, Cali, Ania, Lilla and Carl Mixon, Calen, Tyler and Jacob Waniewski, Avaleigh Skye Walker, Danica Grace Crowder and Michael Thomas (Misha) Waniewski, and 2 more great grandchildren will be born this summer.
The family would like to thank the nurses and staff of Courtenay Springs Village for the excellent care Grace received while living there. Thank you also to the Cape Canaveral Hospital ER and ICU doctors, nurses and staff for their outsatnding care. Grace liked all her regular doctors very much including Dr. Charles Wanich, Dr. Walter Johnson, Dr. Tanya Ziadie and Dr. Arthur Arnold.
