Richard A. Grabowski

Richard Alan Grabowski, 82, of Indian River, peacefully passed into heaven at the McLaren Northern Michigan Hospital Hospice on April 20, 2021.

Dick was born March 11, 1939 in Nankin Mills, MI to parents Gus and Marge Grabowski and grew up on the farm where he developed his love for gardening.

In 1961 Dick and Joyce (Rudick) were married and began raising their family in the Plymouth area. Dick worked for the Detroit Edison Company. In 1969 they moved the family to Indian River and purchased The Pines Cottages. In 1976 they sold the cottages and he worked his construction business full time, building, remodeling, refurbishing many homes and cottages in the area.

He was very artistic, a master builder and leatherworker, and known for a glorious vegetable garden every year. In his younger years, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, golfing, snowmobiling.

Dick was a very active member of the community and his church. He was a founding member of the Indian River Snowmobile Club. He was a member of the Tuscarora Township Fire Department for many years. He was a member of the Lions Club and he and his family raised several black labs for the Leader Dog School in Rochester, MI. He was a member of the Cross in the Woods and a lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus.

Dick is survived by his wife of 59 years, Joyce; children: Denise (Tony) Hand of Indian River; Louis (Jenny) Grabowski of Boyne Falls; Cathy Grabowski of Gaylord; sister, Pat Weimer of Mackinaw City; and brother-in-law, Skip Aldrich of Adrian; grandchildren: Connie (Jay) Fox, Jenni Hand (Bill Shively), Rochelle (Justin) Schlaud, Derek Grabowski, and Rebecca Grabowski and their families; great-grandchildren: EllissaMay, William Jr., Michaela, Xander, Evelyn, Rowyn and Norah; and many nieces, nephews and their families, and many of his special friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents Gus and Marge; brother-in-law Fritz Weimer; brother, John; sister-in-law, Billie Jo; sister, Dot Aldrich; niece, Julie Griewahn; nephew, Kevin; granddaughter, Jillian Rebecca Hand.

Stone Funeral Home in Indian River graciously handled his arrangements. A memorial service will be at a later date.

Expressions of sympathy can be made to the Father Donard Fund, c/o Cross in the Woods, or the Cheboygan County Humane Society.

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