Funeral Mass for Mary Gaikowski, 104, of Peever, SD, will be held on Monday, January 30, 2012 at 10:30 A.M. at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Grenville, SD with the Rev. Fr. Albert Cizewski, O.M.I. Celebrant. Organist will be Helen Gollnick. Pallbearers will be Joe Schoenborn, James Gaikowski Jr., Bobby Allessi, Frank Gaikowski Jr., Morris Gaikowski, and Larry Allessi. Honorary Pallbearers are "The residents and staff of the Tekawitha Nursing Center and lifelong friends and neighbors". There will be visitation on Sunday, January 29, 2012 from 2 to 7 P.M. with a Rosary Service at 7 P.M. at Cahill Funeral Chapel. There will be visitation one hour prior to the Funeral Mass on Monday. Mary Grajczyk was born on January 27, 1907 to Stanislaus and Katherine (Andrezewski) Grajczyk in rural Grenville, SD. She went to school in Grenville at St. Joseph's Catholic School and after her education she married James Gaikowski on January 23, 1929 in Grenville, SD. They farmed near Grenville, then moved to a farm near Sisseton, where they farmed and raised their family. They retired and moved to Enemy Swim Lake in 1970. She was a member of the St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Grenville, SD. Mary enjoyed cooking, reading, sewing, writing letters, and enjoyed making bread and dancing to waltz's and polka's. She passed away on January 25, 2012 at the Tekawitha Nursing Center in Sisseton, SD.
She is survived by her three children; Frank and Irene Gaikowski of Minden, Nevada, Genevieve Schoenborn of Milaca, MN, Jim and Colleen Gaikowski of Andover, MN, one daughter in-law Bernadine Gaikowski of Sisseton, SD, twenty six grandchildren and two step grandchildren, thirty six great grandchildren, and seven great-great grandchildren.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents, husband, one son Roy, one daughter Irene, four brothers Tony, Isadore, Simon, Mike and one sister Veronica and two sons-in-law Ken Schoenborn and Phillip Allessi.