Grace M. Owczarzak

Grace M. (Pizzimenti) Owczarzak, 92, of Ridgefield, passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 8, 2024, at her home. She was the loving wife of Richard T. Owczarzak for 61 years before his passing in 2019.

Mrs. Owczarzak was born in Niagara Falls, NY on May 1, 1932, and was the daughter of the late Pasquale and Grace (Marra) Pizzimenti.

Grace attended Niagara Falls public schools and The Buffalo School of Nursing, becoming an RN in 1953. While working at the Edward J. Meyer Memorial Hospital in Buffalo in 1955, she met a young blonde Naval patient, Richard, who became her husband in 1957. After Richard finished serving in the Navy, Grace and Richard settled in Cheektowaga, NY where they started their family. In 1967 Richard’s job moved them to the beautiful town of Ridgefield. Grace started her career as a nurse in Connecticut doing private nursing and eventually became the school nurse at Farmingville School and continued to work in the Ridgefield Public Schools until her retirement in 1999. Richard and Grace had a strong love of Bar Harbor, Maine. They vacationed there for over 30 years, where they enjoyed sunrises on Mount Cadillac, hiking and cliff walking in Acadia National Park, popovers on Jordon Pond, lobsters, blueberry picking, lighthouse touring and sitting for hours by the water.

Grace was a parishioner for 57 years at St. Mary Church, Ridgefield where she regularly attended 7:00 am Mass and served as a Eucharistic Minister alongside her husband. She was an avid volunteer at the Parish and loved being involved in the Sewing Guild, the St. Mary’s Fall Festivals, Bible Study, teaching CCD and was a regular Perpetual Adoration Adorner on Wednesday mornings. Grace prayed the Rosary many times a day and had a special dedication to our Holy Mother Mary. She was a member of the Ridgefield AARP chapter and the Ridgefield OWLS club where she fully enjoyed the trips, gatherings and friendships.

Grace was also a two-time breast cancer survivor who didn’t let it slow her down when it came to her family. Grace’s family was always her pride and joy. She loved to attend ball games, school plays, her daughter’s skydiving events, church happenings or whatever any of her children or grandchildren were involved in. When her grandchildren were younger, she hosted weekly dinners where she never missed getting everyone’s favorite kind of Dunkin Donuts for dessert. Grace loved to entertain on her back deck that sits above a babbling brook that always brought her great pleasure and enjoyment, unless her children or grandchildren were getting wet in it, which was always a sore spot for her! Her family and loved ones will truly miss her beautiful bright smile and her quiet and sweet presence.

Grace is survived by her children; Christopher Owczarzak and his wife Mary LaRubbio, Lawrence Owczarzak and his wife, Jura and Rebecca Owczarzak and her husband Denes Gutai. Mrs. Owczarzak is also survived by four grandchildren, Mary Catherine Owczarzak (Levente Nagy), Sgt. Zacharias Owczarzak, Evgenia Owczarzak, Lawrence Owczarzak and two step grandsons Denes Gutai and Jonathan Matijevic. Additionally, her pseudo grandchildren Vincent, Isabel and Ameilia Diaz, a sister, Gloria McNitt, nephews David Pizzimenti (Rhonda), Joseph Pizzimenti and niece Dr. Karen Pizzimenti. Besides her husband and parents, she was predeceased by siblings, Mary Pizzimenti, Catherine Pizzimenti, Joseph Pizzimenti and Anthony Pizzimenti. Grace will also be dearly missed by her 2 special dachshunds, Piper and Luna who would wake her every morning.

Family and friends will be received on Tuesday, August 13, 2024 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Kane Funeral Home; 25 Catoonah Street, Ridgefield. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, August 14, 2024 at 10:00 AM in Saint Mary's Church; 55 Catoonah Street, Ridgefield. Interment will follow in Saint Mary's Cemetery, Ridgefield.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Grace’s name to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, Ridgefield’s RVNA Hospice Care or Ridgefield Meals on Wheels.

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