Monroe "Boots" Grabowski

Monroe was known for his love of classic cars, fishing, and staying busy by working in his garage or around the yard, Monroe ‘Boots’ Grabowski, passed away peacefully in his sleep on September 17, 2023, in Garner, North Carolina at the age of eighty-eight years old.

Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on November 28, 1934, to Leo and Anna (Smieja) Grabowski, Monroe was most commonly known by his friends, family, and co-workers as “Boots” a nickname given to him since he was a child.

His love of classic cars began when as a young man he bought his first 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air. He never lost that desire to relive those youthful days and purchased another 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air during his post-retirement years.

What gave him the most solitude in life was his time away from work so that he and his wife Patricia could spend their weekends at the numerous lake houses they had owned in northern Minnesota during their lifetime. It was here that he was able to pursue his life-long passion of fishing with the most recent of times being those days on Two Inlets lake in Park Rapids, Minnesota.

When it came to sports, he loved watching professional football, especially the Minnesota Vikings. With baseball, he had been a little league coach to his sons and was later able to carry on this legacy through his weekly attendance at his great-grandson’s little league baseball games in Garner, North Carolina.

He had an insatiable love of history which was revealed through his being well-read and versed in many areas of historical understanding, especially on those topics involving WWII. He was comfortable in discussing in an easy and understandable way the historical meanings of the Revolutionary War and Civil War as well.

“Boots’ further complimented his appreciation of history in two divergent ways; the first being his time spent watching classic war movies and westerns. The second involved his travels to numerous places of historical significance. His exposure to the various museums and historical monuments located in and around Washington, D.C. were constantly a part of his life’s best memories and storytelling. Visits to Gettysburg and other assorted Civil War battlefield sites added to his encyclopedic knowledge of American history. One particular place of historical interest held a special meaning for him was the D-Day Memorial known as the home of the ‘Bedford Boys' in Bedford, Virginia.

'Boots’ Grabowski grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota where he attended South high school. After graduating he went to work for Honeywell and then onto a long and storied career in telecommunications beginning with Northwestern Bell, AT&T, and later on with the Clark Independent School District located in Las Vegas, Nevada until he retired in 1999. He was known for his strong work ethic and role as a life-long union member and advocate for the ‘working’ man.

‘Boots’ first met his wife Patricia Marie Zebro when they were eleven years old. As time would have it, they eventually married at a relatively young age in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1953 and had just recently celebrated seventy years of marriage in August.

Monroe and Patricia had seven children, Michael, Alan, Jeffrey, Ronald and Loreen (Lori) in addition to two of his sons Jerome and David who preceded him in death. He and Patricia also had 12 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild. Some of his greatest pleasures in life were fishing with his sons and daughter or grandkids; often for hours at a time in hopes of catching the ‘big’ one.

‘Boots’ loved dogs and had his son Ronnie’s dog ‘Rocket’ by his side along with his daughter Lori when he passed away. He also enjoyed some of the simpler things in life as he got older; going out to get the mail allowed him a chance to talk with his many neighbors no matter where he lived. Although most were much younger, there was a mutual enjoyment in their conversations regardless of their generational divide. These short mailbox excursions were really an opportunity for him to catch up on his neighbor’s families or divulge his latest revelation of pride involving his family, especially his grandchildren and their activities.

‘Boots’ was a strong believer in his faith and at one time had served in the Knights of Columbus through his church in New Brighton, Minnesota. In his final days he clutched his most favorite religious piece of faith, a gold cross.

‘Boots’ Grabowski will always be remembered for his inability to sit still for any length of time, he had an innate desire to stay busy. Whether it was going outside to check the gutters, rake leaves, or tinker in the garage with some fix-and-repair it project (needed or not) it was that fervent persona which defined him.

He and his wife Patricia were blessed with the opportunity of raising a large family which included so many wonderful memories of traveling and spending time together as a family at their lake houses. ‘Boots’ once remarked to his oldest son, “What we leave behind is memories, it’s our legacy.” For all of his family, friends, and co-workers left behind, he has left us with so many memories of who he was. When times of sadness begin to emerge due to his passing, there will always be those memories of a smile or a moment of laughter that will overshadow our grief. These beams of light and goodness will simply be reflected in the legacy he once ascribed to as what we will leave behind.

Monroe ‘Boots’ Grabowski’s role in life as a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, great-great grandfather and friend to many is a daily reminder to all who knew him that his comfort in being at peace with God is what also awaits each of us. He is now fishing with his son Dave who as promised to his father would be ready and waiting for him to explore God’s most beautiful lakes and fishing locations with him.

There will be no formal services in Garner, North Carolina as Monroe ‘Boots’ Grabowski will be cremated and upon his wife Patricia’s passing, they will be interred together in Minnesota.

In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to Flippen Foundation, flippenfoundation.com in Monroe's memory.