H. June GRIMMIUS

6 JUN 1923 - 3 APR 2023

• BIRTH: 6 JUN 1923, South Bend, IN
• DEATH: 3 APR 2023, South Bend, IN

• MARRIAGE: 26 DEC 1942, St Matthews Catholic, South Bend, IN

INDEX

[N23053] JUNE GRIMMIUS NOWACKI
June 6, 1923 - April 3, 2023

June Nowacki, 99, passed away peacefully in her sleep on April third in the home of her daughter, retired nurse Mary Gerbracht, of Carmel Indiana where she has enjoyed loving care by Mary and her husband Bob for the last six months of her very long, active life of service to her family and community. She was born June 6, 1923 to the late Derk and Daisy (Cauffman) Grimmius in South Bend, IN and resided there for most of her life before moving to Carmel, IN in 2020 after the death of her husband of 77 years, Edward Nowacki. Along with her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her brother Donald Grimmius, her sister Arlene Schrader and her grandson John Nowacki.
June married the love of her life, Edward Nowacki on December 26, 1942 in St. Mathews Catholic Church in South Bend just before he was shipped off to war. She is survived by all ten of her children, Janice (Randall) Kienstra, Edward (Karen) Nowacki, Jr, Richard Nowacki, James (Elizabeth) Nowacki, Douglas (Anne) Newman, David Nowacki, Paul (Kathleen) Nowacki, Mary (Robert) Gerbracht, Catherine (Stephan Fuglsang) Jepson and Susan (George) Lowery. She is also survived by 19 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. June's early years were spent in a rural home without electricity or running water and she learned to cook on a wood-burning stove. She graduated from Lakeville High School in 1941 and enrolled in the South Bend College of Commerce where she earned her way working as a cashier at the YMCA at noon and a hat-check girl at the Bowl-Mor in the evenings before being hired by the Bendix budget office after completion of her studies. Her employment career was quickly interrupted by the first of her ten pregnancies, but not ended, as she returned decades later after the children were grown to provide office support to a local dentist's office.
June's volunteer work is legendary! She supported her children's interests by serving as a Camp Fire Girls leader and a Cub Scout den mother. The collection of hand-made quilts and knitted afghans she created and gifted to her children and grand-children is too extensive to be counted! She served Holy Cross parish church as a member of the Rosary Altar Society helping with the care of vestments and contributing products for the bake sales, where her fudge was famous and always sold out early! She also chaired the funeral lunch committee which provided refreshments for all attendees to funerals at the church, and was active in the Christian Family Movement. She was particularly proud of her support to the Northern Indiana Historical Society who she served as a docent for decades at Copshaholm, the Oliver mansion. She also applied her skills as an expert seamstress to restoration of historical garments in their care. Her contributions continued even into her nineties as she organized the ladies in her retirement home to knit scores of mittens for underprivileged children! ne is the last of her generation. All of her siblings and their spouses have preceded her in death, as have all of her first cousins and even all of her high school classmates. A piece of history passes away with her!
Visitation will be held at the Kaniewski Funeral Home, 3545 N. Bendix Dr. South Bend from 9AM to 11AM on April 18 with a Memorial Service in the chapel at 11AM. Burial will follow in Highland Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to The History Museum (574-235-9664). To send online condolences, please visit www.kaniewski.com.

Nowacki anniversary
By Staff Reports -
12/29/17 10:35 PM

Edward and June Nowacki
Edward and June Nowacki celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary with a Mass service and reception at Saint Paul Retirement Community in South Bend. Mr. Nowacki and his wife, the former June Grimmius were married at Saint Matthew’s in South Bend on Dec. 26, 1942. He served in the Army Air Force and is a retired engineer. She is a Homemaker. The have 10 children, Janice (Randy) Kienstra, Edward Jr. (Karen) Nowacki, Richard Nowacki, James (Elizabeth) Nowacki of Greenwood, Douglas (Anne) Nowacki, David (Marcia) Nowacki, Paul (Kathleen) Nowacki, Mary (Bob) Gerbracht, Catherine Jepson (Steve Fuglsang) and Susan (George) Lowery; 20 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.