Mary (Kniazynski) Rutkowski

Mary Rutkowski passed away peacefully at the age of 99 on December 15, 2020.  Mary was born in Elizabeth NJ, to Rosalie (Marczak) and Joseph Kniazynski, on October 21, 1921.  She was the second youngest of eight children. She grew up in Elizabeth and attended local schools until she graduated from Battin High School in 1940. 

She worked for Elastic Stop Nut for many years as an industrial worker.  She married Stanley Rutkowski on October 27, 1946 at the Church of St. Adalbert in Elizabeth.  They had one daughter, Rosemarie.  Mary and her family settled in Linden, and then moved to Clark, in 1958, where she lived until 2017, when she moved to NH to be closer to her grandchildren.  She spent her final years at Carlyle Place in Bedford, NH, where the staff lovingly cared and treated her like family.

Mary lived life to the fullest.  In her younger years, she often attended social events, traveled all over with her bowling league, and cherished the countless get-togethers and time spent with family and friends, especially playing pinochle.  She and her husband Stanley were avid golfers, and previously involved with the Knights of Columbus, VFW, and the Polish American Club.  She was a faithful communicate of St. Agnes Church in Clark.  Mary loved to travel with her husband, family, and friends, and enjoyed many special vacation trips.  She also very much enjoyed excursions with various social clubs and trips to Atlantic City and Massachusetts casinos, where she was often very lucky.  Most of all, Mary was a very proud mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, and adored her family.  She will be missed dearly.

She is survived by her grandchildren Victoria (Thaddeus) Kendziora, Michael (Ellen) Hillebrand, and Aimee (Christopher) Lapiana; great-grandchildren Anya, Roman, Sebastian, Caroline, Marek, and Cora; and many nieces and nephews that were very special to her.  Mary was predeceased by her parents; brothers Casper, Walter, Edward, Michael, Paul, Joseph, and Frederick; her husband Stanley, to whom she was married for 48 years; her daughter, Rosemarie Hillebrand; and several other dear family members.

The family bid farewell to Mary at private family gatherings at Lambert Funeral Home in Manchester, NH, and Krowicki Gorny Memorial Home in Clark, NJ. Her final resting place is St. Gertrude Cemetery in Colonia, NJ.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made, if desired, to St. Agnes Church or Easter Seals NJ.

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