William J. Grochowski 1910 - 1958

GROCHOWSKI

Posted By: Connie Swearingen- Volunteer (email)
Date: 9/24/2022 at 11:08:57

Sioux City Journal
21 April 1958

Fire Victim Succumbs

W, Grochowski Dies of Burns; Baby 'Critical'

William J. Grochowski, 48, 210 S. Wall Street, died at 4:55 o'clock Sunday morning at a hospital from burns suffered when he rescued his 5 - month - old son, Timmy from a fire that Caused $1,500 damage at their home Saturday.

The baby remained in "critical" condition at St Vincent hospital early today.

An investigation into the fire, cause of which had not been determined, will be opened today by Fire Chief John M. Hill and Capt. Phillip Kemmish, head of the fire prevention bureau.

Mr. Grochowski. chef at the Steak House restaurant, suffered third degree burns on the upper part of his body and the son suffered first, second and third degree burns, and a gashed forehead evidently received in a fall.

The child was asleep upstairs and Mr. Grochowsci and his wife were in in kitchen when a passerby ran in to tell them the upper part of the house was on fire.

Mr. Grochowski ran upstairs and got the infant while his wife called the fire department.

Four other children of the Grochowskis were not in the house at the time of the fire.

Mr. Grochowski was born April 5, 1910, in Sioux City, and was a lifelong resident here.

He was a veteran of World War 2 and a member of St. Joseph Catholic church.

Survivors include the widow, Patricia; three sons, Billy Joe, Michael and Timmy; two daughters, Mary Jo and Roxann; his mother, Mrs. Emma Grochowski of Sioux City; three brothers, Peter, jr., of Sioux City; Frank of Long Beach, Cal., and Ted of Stockton, Cal., and three sisters, Mrs. Leone Buddi of Sioux City, Mrs. Helen Carmen of Mount Clemens, Mich., and Miss Eleanor Grochowski of Des Moines.

Funeral services will be at 10 a. m. Tuesday at St. Joseph Catholic church, with Rev. Edward C. Lilly officiating. Burial will be in Calvary cemetery. The rosary will be recited at 8 o'clock tonight at Perasso Bros, funeral home. Monahan post 64, American Legion, will conduct graveside services.

Pallbearers will be Adam Maryka, Walter Sutherland George Kuchis, William Murphy, Joe Gantz, Frank Nichalsky and C. G. Marcum.

Sioux City Journal

22 April 1958

Faulty Fixture Blamed in Fire Fatal to Father

A fire Saturday at 210 S. Wall Street which resulted burns fatal to William J. Grochowski, 48, and extensive burns to a son, 5-months-old Timmy, was caused by a faulty light fixture, Capt. Phillip J. Kemmish of the fire prevention bureau said Monday after inspecting the damaged home.

Mr. Grochowski died early Sunday at a hospital. The condition of Timmy was described Monday night at St. Vincent hospital as "continued critical.”

Capt. Robert Arnold, an acting assistant chief, who directed Saturday's firefighting operations went to the scene Monday with Capt. Kemmish.

The shadow of tragedy has slanted across the Grochowski family with-in the last two years.

Timmie, (Tammie) a 3-month-old daughter, died of bronchial pneumonia in February.

Mary Jo Ann, 7, suffered burns about the head when flames from a stove enveloped the kitchen about two years ago. She was burned severely about the head while heating milk for a family dog. Medication and grafting have continued, a relative said, since the time of the fire.

Report by Kemmish

Capt. Kemmish released the following statement:

"We found a faulty light fixture which had charred the laths and the fuse box was over-fused. The room where the fire was confined was completely covered by fiberboard, wall and ceiling.

"Fiberboard will give off a gas which, when it explodes, will cause a flash fire, and will completely involve an average room in 6 to 8 minutes.

"So long as people, knowingly or unknowingly, use this type of covering in the home, store or elsewhere, tragedy will follow, or large loss fires will result.

Opposed by Department

“We of the fire department are very much against the use of fiberboard installations."

The father, who rescued the son from a flaming up- stairs bedroom, suffered severe third degree burns over the upper part or the body.

Tim suffered first, second- and third-degree burns.

Funeral services for Mr. Grochowski will be at 10 o’ clock this morning at Joseph Catholic church.

Sioux City Journal

24 April 1958

HELP FOR GROCHOWSKIS

Death of Father Climaxes 2 Years of Tragedy for Family

BY TOM FENNELL

A Sioux city mother of five children, widowed only Sunday by a fire that swept her modest S. Wall Street residence, sat in the kitchen of a neighbor's home and haltingly traced a two-year history of family tragedy,

Mrs. Patricia Grochowski, for whom close friends have launched a campaign for funds to help ease the financial burden resulting from the series of tragic instances, spoke hesitatingly and only under gentle questioning.

'Mr. Grotowski’s death Sunday climaxed two years of almost constant grief and loss and attendant financial distress for the family.

"It all began two years and one month ago,” said Mrs. Grochowski" when our daughter Mary Jo Ann, now 9 years old, was severely burned,"

Mary Jo suffered burns about the head and neck while heating milk on a stove for a family dog.

A total of 76 days hospitalization here, marked by at least five skin grafting operations followed Mary Jo's accident. In the intervening months the child has been taken to Iowa City, la., hospitals where an additional four operations have been performed.

Mary Jo was scheduled to return to Iowa City for further treatment just one day-before the tragic fire that raced through the upstairs of the family home but was stricken with measles and the trip was postponed.

Concern for Son

As Mrs., Grochowski talked, she expressed deep concern for her 5-month-old son, Timmy, who was burned critically in the blaze in which his father was fatally burned trying to save him Saturday.

Hospital attendants Wednesday described Timmy's condition as "continued critical."

Between the time of Mary Jo's painful accident and Saturday fatal home fire, tragedy played out another act in the life of the Grochowski family. Timmy's twin sister, Tammie, died at the age of 3 months, the victim of bronchial pneumonia.

The baby's death was "like a bolt from the blue" to Mr. and Mrs. Grochowski and was preceded by only a very brief illness.

With continuing hospital bills resulting from Mary Jo's burns, Mr., Grochowski a chef by trade, was working at two jobs.

Saturday, at about 10:30 a. m., Mrs. Grochowski awakened her husband so that he might begin his 12-hour workday.

“He was in the kitchen and I was running the vacuum cleaner in the front room," recalls Mrs. Grochowski, "when I noticed two women standing in front of our house and looking toward the roof."

"I finally went to the door and asked them what they were looking at," she continued, "and they said, your house is on fire.'

"I screamed at my husband that the house was on fire," she went on, "and he raced upstairs where Timmy was sleeping.

"The whole upstairs must have burst into flames as be got up there .. . he came stumbling back downstairs, his arms, raised, and fell, striking his head on the dining room table.

The next thing I remember Mr., Grochowski was calling out, 'Baby . , , stairs

"I ran partly up the stairs and found Jimmy lying on the steps , , , apparently as far as my husband managed to carry him before being almost overcome by his own burns," concluded Mrs., Grochowski.

Mr. Grochowski died early Sunday at a hospital. Mrs. Grochowski now faces the prospect of rearing her five children alone, meanwhile hoping and praying that Timmy recovers.

The other Grochowski children in addition to Mary Jo and Timmy, are Billy, 10; Roxanne, 5, and Michael, 4.

Billy, Roxanne and Michael have been taken to Cherokee, la., where they are staying with Mrs. Grotowski’s mother, Mrs. Ray Dugan. Mary Jo is staying with Mr. and Mrs. Peter Grochowski, while Mrs. Grochowski temporarily is staying with friends, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Phelps, 116 S. Wall Street.

Persons wishing to assist the Grochowski family may mail contributions, checks or cash; to Fire Victims' Fund, Box 1302, Sioux City, la.

Rev. Edward C Lilly, pastor of St Joseph Catholic church of which the Grochowski are members, has volunteered to administer the fund.

The names of contributors will be published each week in the Sioux City Sunday Journal until all contributions have been received.

Sioux City Journal

27 April 1958

Grochowski Family Fund Totals $595 in Two Days

The fund to aid the widow and five children of a Sioux City man who was fatally burned, in rescuing an infant son from a home fire has netted $595 in two days.

All contributions received will go to Mrs. Patricia Grochowski, widow of William J. Grochowski, who died last Sunday of burns suffered the previous day when a flash fire hit their home at 210 S. Wall street.

The son who was rescued by Mr. Grochowski is Timmy, 5 months old, who also was seriously burned and still is hospitalized at St. Vincent hospital where his condition was given as "still critical."

Other children of Mrs. Grochowski are a daughter, Mary Jo, 9, who was critically burned two years ago and since has had nine-skin grafts and faces more at Iowa City; Billy, 10 Roxanne, 5, and Michael, 4, Timmy's twin sister Tammie died two months ago of bronchial penumonia.

Persons wishing to contribute to the fund for Mrs. Grochowski should send cash or checks to Fire Victims' Fund, Box 1302, Sioux City, la. The fund is being administered by Rev. Edward C. Lilly, pastor of St Joseph Catholic church of which the Grochowski’s are members.

Sioux City Journal

28 April 1958

VICTIM OF FIRE FLOWN TO IOWA CITY HOSPITAL

Timmy Grochowski, 5- month - old boy who was burned critically in a fire that took the life of his father, was flown to University Hospitals at Iowa City Sunday for further treatment.

The baby had been under treatment at St. Vincent hospital.

The boy's father, William J. Grochowski, 48, died as a result of burns he suffered when he rescued the tot from an upstairs room of the family home at 210 S Wall Street April 19.

Another child of the family, Mary Jo, 9, suffered critical burns in a fire two years ago and has had many skin grafts at the Iowa City hospital and faces more.

A fund to aid Mrs. Patricia Grochowski and the surviving members of her family has been started. The fund Sunday totaled $595. It is being administered by Rev. Edward C. Lilly, the Grochowski's pastor. Contributions may be addressed to Fire Victims Fund, Box 1302, Sioux City