Shirley M. Grutkowski, devout Catholic

Shirley M. Grutkowski, 88, of Dewey Beach, formerly of Baltimore, Md., passed away Friday, Nov. 17, 2023. She was born March 20, 1935, daughter of the late Einar and Eleanora Swistek Jensen. She was predeceased by her husband in 2016, Cornel Grutkowski, after 57 years of marriage; and by two sons, Michael in 1973 at 12, and Steven in 1996 at 34.

As a child, she helped her immigrant parents operate a boarding house for merchant mariners in Fell’s Point, Baltimore. 

Later in her career, she held various administrative positions at Tongue, Brooks and Company Insurance, WFBR Radio, and WLIF Radio, all in the Baltimore area. She also served as an election judge for the Town of Dewey Beach. 

She was a longtime communicant of St. Anthony’s of Padua in Baltimore, Md., St. Margaret’s in Bel Air, Md., and St. Edmond Catholic Church, Rehoboth Beach.

She is survived by her sons, Mark Grutkowski of Baltimore and Dewey Beach, and Jeffrey Grutkowski of Washington, D.C. and Dewey Beach.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 13, at Holy Rosary Church, 408 S. Chester St., Baltimore, Md., with interment at Holy Rosary Cemetery, 7305 German Hill Road, Baltimore.

In lieu of flowers, contributions are suggested to St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, stjude.org.

Visit Mrs. Grutkowski's Life Memorial and sign her online tribute page at parsellfuneralhomes.com.