Genevieve Dembowski
Genevieve ( Jennie, Jean, Jen, Genia) Dembowski died Thursday, February 23 at age 98. Born in Greenwich in 1924, she was the youngest of five daughters of the late Martin and Agnes Szczech Muskus.
She is survived by her son Walter (Tom Mariconda) of Shelton and her daughter Dorothy (Antonia Polcini) of Greenwich. Also three nieces, three nephews, and several great and greatgreat-nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her husband Victor. Also four sisters: Anna Rupp, Victoria Zalewski, Josephine Rupp, and Julia Bruno. And three nephews: James Bruno, Blaise Bruno, and Edward Rupp.
When her father died in 1929, just before her fifth birthday and about the time the Great Depression began, she and her sisters did whatever they could to help their mother during such difficult times.
Genevieve attended Greenwich public schools and graduated from Greenwich High School in 1942. She worked as a secretary either full-time or part-time at several businesses in Greenwich and Stamford.
At a local Polish dance, she met Victor, the man she would marry in 1954. They lived with her mother in Greenwich for two years while saving up enough money to buy a home.
They moved into their own home with their sixteen-month-old son in October 1956. Genevieve would live in that house for the next 63 years. But she always thought of herself as a Greenwich girl and a proud Fourth-Warder, referring to the largely working-class section of Greenwich where she had grown up.
In that house, Genevieve and Victor raised two children with love: their son Walter and daughter Dorothy, who was born in December 1963.
Genevieve and Victor were married for 39 years until his death in August 1993. Her life was never the same afterwards. But she continued to enjoy visiting or talking with family and friends while making new friends at several seniors groups.
She also enjoyed bingo, cards, jigsaw puzzles and, for as long as she could, bowling. And dancing, even at her 90th birthday party.
She cared deeply about her neighborhood and the several generations of neighbors – especially the children – who lived nearby. And she cared about Springdale as a founding member of the Springdale Neighborhood Association.
A lifelong Catholic, Genevieve attended services first at St. Mary’s in Greenwich, then at Holy Name in Stamford and for decades at St. Cecelia’s.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, February 27 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Cecilia Church, 1184 Newfield Avenue, in Stamford. Burial will follow at St. Mary Cemetery on North Street in Greenwich.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, to Adopt-a-Dog in Greenwich, or to a charity of your choice.