Mardell E. Druzik, 57, suffered an aneurysm at home in the company of family on Saturday, April 28th and was taken by air ambulance to Parkview Hospital, Ft. Wayne where she died following surgery and complications at 8 a.m. Friday, May 04, 2001. Mardell was a giver, and although her life was to short and left us to soon, she continued to share with others even in death. According to her wishes she was entered into the Organ Donor Program and will provide renewed life for others.
Mardell has resided at 8300 St. Rd. 17 since 1993 coming from the Chicago area. She was born the daughter of Robert A. and Theresa A. Marx Girmscheid in Chicago on August 31, 1943. She graduated from the St. Thomas Aquinas High School in 1961 and attended the Sacred Heart College in Wichita, Kansas.
On October 10, 1964 she and Jack J. Druzik were married in Chicago, he survives. Mardell worked as a secretary for the Maintenance and Engineering Dept. of the South Chicago Community Hospital for 20 years. She then became involved with the Chicago Institute for Spiritual Leadership and after moving to Plymouth served as a secretary for the Kaleidoscope Children’s Center.
Her grandchildren were very special to her and she enjoyed baking and flower gardening, often in the company of her pet dog “Snooky”. Mardell was a former member of Annunciata Catholic Church in Chicago and a current member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Plymouth, where she was involved in the Altar Rosary Society. She was a dedicated volunteer with the Marshall County Hospice program, the Horse Assisted Therapy for Handicap Children and Chapter 1355 Women of the Moose.
Survivors include her loving husband of 37 years, three beloved daughters and five precious grandchildren. Daughters; Deborah A. Hinds and children Justin J. and Valerie of Orland Park, Ill., Renee and Jim Lemanski and children Nicholas, Jimmy and Marcus Lemanski of Lisle, Ill., Deanna and Gene Hixson of Collierville, Tenn. Three brothers and two sisters also survive; her brothers are: Robert Girmscheid of Maryland, Lew and Joan Girmscheid of Batavia, Ill., Bert and Sue Girmscheid of Scottsdale, Arizona and sisters: Sr. Verene Girmscheid O.S.F. of Hammond, Ind. and Gerri and Walt Draus of Lombard, Ill. Numerous nieces and nephews survive along with Mardell’s mother-in-law, Virginia A. Druzik and sister-in-law, Judi Druzik both of Plainfield, Ill.
She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister Theresa Girmscheid.
Friends are invited to visit with family on Tuesday, May 8, 2001 from 2 – 8 p.m. in the Johnson – Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St. Plymouth, where a Prayer Service will be held following visitation at 8 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by family friend Fr. Joe Carey C.S.C. of Notre Dame and Pastor Anthony Gillespie at 11 a.m. Wed., May 9, 2001 in St. Michael’s Catholic Church, 625 N. Center St. Plymouth.
Preferred memorial gifts in Mardell’s memory may be made to the Marshall County Hospice Program 112 S. Center Street Suite C. Plymouth, Indiana 46563 or NIRHA – Horse Assisted Therapy for Handicap Children P.O. Box 81 Donaldson, Indiana 46513