Gail M. Grzywa

Gail was born one of eleven children. On the farm in Iowa, she learned to value hard work, strong family, and a love of the land. In a family of boisterous personalities, her siblings dubbed her “the life of the party” and boasted she was the only one who had to be given a curfew. After high school, Gail set off to Omaha, Nebraska where she met her beloved husband-to-be, Richie. Together they created a beautiful home and filled it with children and grandchildren. She passed on to them her love of knowledge, sassy witt, gregarious nature, and passion for travel. From Europe to Singapore, Mexico to Alaska, she explored the world and when she came home, she and Rich never stopped with house and landscaping projects, taking pride in doing the work themselves. No family event will be the same without her planned activities, laughter, and singing.

Gail placed a high value on education, graduating summa cum laude with a Master’s Degree of Social Work from UNO. Through her career, she helped veterans overcome PTSD at the VA Hospital (where she received the state’s highest civic honor, Admiral in the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska), helped teenagers through the difficulties of adolescents at the Residential Treatment Center in Midlands Hospital, and through her private practice helped individuals and couples through their day-to-day struggles and to overcome trauma and grief. After retirement, Gail continued to provide for her community through volunteer work at the library and her church.

Gail leaves behind hundreds of photographs, a collection of memoirs, several unfinished crafts, dozens of plants and flowers, a home decorated with pride, one powerhouse book club, and a tiny dog who never left her lap.

She is survived by her beloved husband of 48 years, Richard T. Grzywa; children Bethany (Sean) Grzywa-Birge, Leslie (Jon) Marion, and Jeremy (Sadie) Grzywa of Houston, TX; grandchildren Aris Grzywa, Michael, Gabriel, and Addison Birge, McKenna and Max Marion, and Eleanor and Wilson Grzywa; siblings Mick (Jean) Theisen, Debbie (Rick) Hellman, Patty (Joe) Schulte, Christy (Scott) Carlson, Paula (Tom) Kleen, Brian (Lorie) Theisen, Marilyn (Rod) Wellman, and Mark (Julie) Theisen; and many nieces and nephews who dubbed her “the cool aunt”.

Preceded in death by son Ryan Grzywa, parents Elmer and Joan Theisen, stepfather Joe Cronin, father- and mother-in-law Dominic and Eleanor Grzywa, brother Randy Theisen, and sister Denise Theisen.

VIGIL SERVICE Wednesday at 6:30pm at St. Columbkille, Papillion with VISITATION to follow until 9pm. MEMORIAL MASS Thursday 10:30am at St. Columbkille. COMMITTAL at St. John’s Cemetery, Bellevue.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.KahlerDolceMortuary.com for the Grzywa family.