William Grabowski

Bill was born on May 13, 1951, in Highland Park, Michigan, to the late Leo Grabowski and the late Dorothy (nee: Hoover) Grabowski. He was raised in Hamtramck, Michigan, where he attended Hamtramck High School.

In his early twenties, Bill went to a friend's house one evening and unexpectedly met the love of his life, Dianne. Not wanting to leave their future to chance, he playfully snagged Dianne's blue eye shadow so he would have a reason to see her again. That sweet and mischievous gesture marked the beginning of a lifelong love story. Bill and Dianne were married on November 22, 1972, in Detroit, Michigan and spent 53 loving years together. They raised their family in Hamtramck before moving to Clinton Township in 2007.

Bill dedicated more than 30 years of his career to Burnham Cartridge in Detroit, where he worked as a Warehouse Manager. He retired in 2013 and continued to be a proud Teamster Member of Local 337.

Bill enjoyed spending time with family and looked forward to traveling to Indian River, Michigan, and Pennsylvania to visit loved ones. For more than 20 years, one of the highlights of each summer was attending the annual men’s golf outing with his son-in-law, Jay. In fact, Bill loved golf so much that he gave up fishing to spend more time on the course. He also shared his love of the game with his daughter, Andrea, teaching her to play and spending countless hours golfing together, creating memories they both treasured.

Bill also enjoyed traveling with his daughter, Anna, and her family, cherishing the time they spent together and the memories made along the way.

He treasured trips to the casino with his son, Billy, where they enjoyed playing Three Card Poker. Some days were good, some days were bad, but they never talked about the bad days.

Bill loved listening to music from the 1950s, watching horse racing, and searching through the candy dish for Hershey’s candy bars. If there happened to be fruit snacks nearby, he often shared them as special treats with his grandchildren.

Bill’s daughter, Dolores, inherited much of her father’s spirit. He taught her how to box, and she quickly learned to handle herself just as he had growing up living in Hamtramck. Dolores often kept Bill on his toes, and he was always waiting for the next knock at the door from someone’s parents on how she handled her "business". Those stories became part of the family’s cherished memories and reflected the special bond they shared.

A devoted football fan, Bill enjoyed watching NFL games and was well known for organizing Super Bowl squares for more than 30 years, something everyone looked forward to participating in each year.

Above all else, Bill’s family meant everything to him. His grandchildren were truly his pride and joy, and he shared a special bond with each of them. He held an especially close relationship with his grandson, Jeffrey, who was the spark in Grandpa's eye. Bill was Jeffrey's biggest supporter, showing endless patience and immense pride in all that Jeffrey had overcome and accomplished.

When asked to describe their father, Bill’s children said he was a protector and a loving and giving man who always put his family first. They also spoke of the deep love he had for his wife, Dianne, and the example he set through his unwavering devotion to her.

Bill was the beloved husband of Dianne Grabowski. Loving father of Dolores (Jay) Guy, William “Billy” (Ann) Grabowski Jr., Anna (Edward) Byczek, and Andrea (Michael) Young. Devoted grandfather of Victoria (Michael) Cipriani, Jeffrey Guy Jr., Isabella Guy, Ally Grabowski, Abby Grabowski, Joshua Byczek, Gabriel Young, Sophia Young, and Elijah Young. Proud great-grandfather of Vallerie, Veronica, and Michael Cipriani Jr. He was the dear brother of Marcella (Jack) Likens, Sandy (Sam) Dropchuk, and Jeff Grabowski, and the late Leo Grabowski, the late Garry Grabowski and the late Patricia Jurewicz. Brother-in-law of Barbara Grabowski, and Rich Jurewicz. William is also survived by many loving nieces, nephews, extended family members, and dear friends.

Visitation for Bill will be held on Sunday from 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., with a Prayer Service at 6:30 p.m., at D.S. Temrowski & Sons Funeral Home, 30009 Hoover Road at Common (12½ Mile Road) in Warren.

Interment will be held on Monday at 12:00 p.m. at Resurrection Cemetery, 18201 Clinton River Road, Clinton Township, Michigan 48038.

Bill's legacy of love, laughter, generosity, and devotion to family will continue to live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.

Please share memories of Bill below in his guestbook.