In Memory
Jean R. (Wisniewski) Gruza
May 13, 1934 ~ May 24, 2024 (age 90)
Jean R. Gruza, 90, of South Bend, IN, passed away at 2:13 p.m. Friday, May 24, 2024 at West Woods of Niles Nursing & Rehabilitation Center. She was born on May 13, 1934 (Mother’s Day) to the late Joseph L. and Nellie J. (Noel) Wisniewski in South Bend, IN, and was a lifelong area resident. Along with her parents; she was preceded in death by a sister, JoAnn Sikorski; three brothers, Fred Wisniewski, Art Wisniewski, Joe Cherry, and her husband on September, 5, 2005.
Jean graduated from Central High School in 1953.
On April 24, 1954, as Jean R. Wisniewski, she married her high school sweetheart Donald Gruza at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in South Bend, IN. They were married 51 years and celebrated their 50th high school class reunions (Central High School) Don’s in 2002 and Jean’s in 2003.
She retired on February 1, 2006 from Century Center in South Bend, having worked there for 17 years as an Events Coordinator. Jean loved to travel, she and Don had many wonderful, fun vacations. She enjoyed family birthday parties and cook-outs, close friends, wonderful neighbors, good movies, and golf for fun with several friends over the years. She loved Spring and Fall seasons, but was not crazy about Winter.
Jean and Don were not blessed with children, but she is survived by a sister-in-law, Norma Cherry of South Bend, IN, many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, great neighbors and good friends. They also had their beloved fuzzy kids (miniature Schnauzers), over the years; Suzie, Duke and Ginger, then Buddy and Brandy, then Pepper.
There is a poem called “Rainbow Bridge”- Just this side of Heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge, when your pet(s) that you’ve loved so much dies they go there and wait for you. So, when I leave this earth, I will cross that bridge and meet again with all my fuzzy kids and all my relatives before me.
Visitation will be from 3-7 pm on Thursday, May 30, 2024 at Kaniewski Funeral Home, 3545 North Bendix Drive, South Bend, IN.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 31, 2024 at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, South Bend, IN. Burial will follow in Highland Cemetery.
Donations may be made to: Pet Refuge or the charity of the donor’s choice.
To send online condolences, please visit www.kaniewski.com.
06/03/2024 EJS
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