Joseph B. Rutkowski

Mr. Joseph B. Rutkowski, of Ubly, passed away Monday, June 9, 2014 at the Bay Special Care Hospital. He was born August 23, 1928 in Ubly to the late Albert and Mary (Wrubel) Rutkowski. He married Maxine Wasielewski on May 21, 1955 at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Freiburg. Joseph was a graduate of a country school. He served in the US Army during the Korean War. He was employed at the Plymouth Chrysler plant for a few years, Carmet for 29 years before retiring in 1993. He also worked at Evans Products in Gagetown for 8 years. Joseph was a lifelong parishioner at St. Mary Catholic Church in Parisville where he was a member of the Men’s Club for 50 years. He enjoyed carpentry, gardening, playing cards, especially euchre and pinochle, and trips to Northern Michigan. Joseph is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Maxine of Ubly; five children, Kenneth and his wife, Linda of Port Austin, Albert and his wife, Geraldine of Ubly, Lynette Ciejka of Meridan, Idaho, Doreen Rutkowski of Ubly and Dean and his special friend, Margo Valancia of Louisville, Texas; 13 grandchildren; 6 great grandchildren; two brothers, Edward and Clarence and his wife, Christine, both of Ubly; three sisters, Reta Pollum of Ubly, Marcy Guigar of Royal Oak, Leona Zinger of Bay City, two sisters-in-law, Barbara Rutkowski of Ubly and Marie Ritter and her husband Larry of Bad Axe. Joseph was preceded in death by one brother, Elmer Rutkowski, two brothers-in-law, Herman Pollum and Gerald Guigar. Mass of Christian burial will be 11 am Saturday, June 14 at St. Mary Catholic Church of St. Isidore Parish in Parisville with military honors. Rev. William Rutkowski, Vicar General of the Saginaw Diocese will officiate. Burial will be in the St. John Catholic Cemetery in Ubly. Visitation will be at the Zinger-Smigielski Funeral Home in Ubly on Friday from 1:30-9:00 pm and Saturday form 10:00-11:00 am at the church only. There will be a Men’s Club rosary at 7:00 pm Friday evening and a parish vigil service at 7:30. Both services will be at the funeral home. Memorials have been requested to the Family Discretionary Fund.