Marie G. (Gandrud) Sienkiewicz, 99, passed away peacefully on April 1, 2017 at the Holyoke Soldiers Home surrounded by her family. She was born in Detroit Lakes, MN to the late Albert and Kari (Dahlen) Gandrud. She received her elementary education in a one room schoolhouse in Becker County Minnesota followed by graduation from Detroit Lakes High School. She received a business degree from Manitoba Commercial College. Following that, she was employed by Diamond Iron Works defense plant in Minneapolis, MN.
In 1943 Marie enlisted in the first call for women to join the service. Marie served her country with the United States Navy W.A.V.E.S. during WWII from 1943-1946. She was deployed to Washington D.C. and served at the Naval Communications Annex for three years. There, she met her husband, William A. Sienkiewicz. (also in the Navy deployed in the Pacific Theater on the USS South Dakota Battleship). She attained the rank of Chief Yeoman, she received the World War II Victory Medal, Navy Unit Commendation and the American Theatre Medal. Marie and her husband William attended his battleship reunions every year in South Dakota with her brother and sister-in-law, Margie and Jerry Sienkiewicz. After raising four children, Marie worked at Ashland Chemical Corporation in Westfield as the office manager for 20 years.
Marie was a member of Grace Lutheran Church and cooked many dinners for church functions, she enjoyed playing cards, polka dancing, but mostly spending time with family and friends, hosting barbecue’s under the grapevine. Marie was predeceased by her beloved husband William A. “Red” Sienkiewicz, her twin sister Margaret Genevieve and five brothers, Ebenhard, Allen, Karol, Stanton and Geherd. She is survived by four loving children, David A. Sienkiewicz and his wife Pamela of Westminster, CO, Paul A. Sienkiewicz and his wife Sandra of Evansville, Wyoming, Judith E. Stebbins and her husband Dennis of Blandford and Susan C. Pierce and her husband Kurt of Westfield, six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren many nieces and nephews and two sister-in-laws; Martha Sienkiewicz of Westfield and Vernice Gandrud of Minn.
Her funeral will be held on Thursday at 10AM in Grace Lutheran Church, 1552 Westfield St. Route 20, West Springfield followed by burial in St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery, Lockhouse Rd. Westfield. Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday from 4-7PM in the Firtion Adams FS, 76 Broad St. Westfield, MA 01085. Donations in Marie’s name may be directed to the Grace Lutheran Church, 1552 Westfield St. West Springfield, MA 01089 or to the Holyoke Soldiers Home, 110 Cherry St. Holyoke, MA 01040. www.firtionadams.com
