Raymond Grabowski

Raymond E. Grabowski, 78, of Erie, passed away on Monday, October 10, 2016, surrounded by his wife and family at Guardian Walnut Creek (formerly Golding Living) Nursing Home. Ray was born in Erie, on September 18, 1938, son of the late Alexander and Magdalen (Sliga) Grabowski.

Ray was a 1956 graduate of Academy High School, Erie, and earned multiple post-secondary technical diplomas and certificates to support his 30+ year employment at Erie General Electric. He was an Apprentice Program mentor at General Electric and was active in the softball league for many years as well. Prior to GE, he worked for Mehler’s Bottling of Erie. Ray was a lifetime member of St James Roman Catholic Church and made sure his children attended the parish school there. He loved his family very much and did everything he could to show his love for them, especially his grandchildren and nieces/nephew. If he was in control, there was a radio nearby tuned-in to a station playing polka music, and it was usually rather loud. His dog “Zoey” is the most spoiled animal on the planet.

Besides his parents, he is preceded in death by his daughter, Rebecca Grabowski-Roupp; brothers Walter and Theodore Grabowski; and sister Dolores “Dee” Wysocki.

Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Carol Jean (Hornyak) Grabowski, daughters Michelle “Chelly” Grabowski of Erie; Christine Lohse (Stephen) of McKean; and son, Raymond E. Grabowski, Jr. of Erie; grandchildren Anna Lohse of McKean, Morgan and Patrick (&Amanda Walker) Behr of Erie, and Courtney Zeyfang (Austin) of Charleston, S.C.. Also his sister Geraldine “Gerri” Roesch, and her adult children Kathy, Karen, Barbara, Michael, and Lisa. He is also survived by family Andrew and Judy Hornyak, Mike and Sue Pierce and mother-in-law Catherine Hornyak.

Friends are invited to join the family at Burton Wintergreen Funeral Home, 2532 Norcross Rd., Erie, PA 16510 on Thursday from 2:00 pm till 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm till 9:00 pm and are invited to a Funeral Mass on Friday at 10:30 am at St. James Church, 2635 Buffalo Rd. Erie, PA 16510.

Burial in Mary Queen of Peace Cemetery.