Carl Roger Grajczyk

Carl Roger Grajczyk, 82, of Temperance, MI passed away peacefully at home on Friday, February 26, 2021. He was born June 27, 1938, the only child of Stephania (Rosinski) Grajczyk and Joseph Grajczyk in Toledo, OH and raised in the Polish neighborhood on Nebraska Ave. near Detroit Ave. Carl graduated from Macomber High School in 1956 and began working at the Toledo Shipyards in the fall of 1956. His work at the Shipyards led to him joining the Boilermakers’ Local 85 apprenticeship in 1959, which he completed in 1963. He continued to work as a Boilermaker for the remainder of his career, retiring in 1998.

Carl married Doris Marie Kirian on October 12th, 1957. In 1961 Carl and Doris moved from Toledo to Temperance, MI to start their family, and in 1963 became unofficial adoptive parents to biological brothers Niles and Robert Wilson, who they raised as their own children. In 1968 Carl and Doris had a biological son, Ken.

Carl had a love for animals, which led to him maintaining a hobby farm and raising just about every type of farm animal, and some non-farm animals: ducks, chickens, geese, turkeys, Guinea hens, pigeons, doves, peacocks, honeybees, ferrets, rabbits, cats, dogs, pigs, goats, ponies, horses, and cows.

An avid hunter and fisherman in his early years, Carl transitioned away from hunting later in life but remained a fisherman his entire life, spending countless days fishing on Lake Erie for Walleyes. A favorite place for Carl was Long Lake in Hillsdale, MI where he had a cottage on the lake. Almost every summer weekend was spent at “the Lake” fishing and making memories.

Carl retired from the Boilermakers in the Spring of 1998, at which time he and Doris became “snowbirds” by spending summers at “the Lake”, and winters at the La Casa retirement community in North Port, FL where Carl was also able to continue his fishing hobby on the Myakka River.

In December of 2020 Carl, a nonsmoker, was diagnosed with late-stage lung cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Carl spent the last months of his life surrounded by his family in Temperance, MI.

Carl was preceded in death by his father Joe (1989), mother Stephania (2007), Robert Wilson (1981), Nile Wilson (2006), and his wife of 56 years Doris Grajczyk (2014). He is survived by his son Ken (Connie) Grajczyk; and grandchildren Tyler Grajczyk, Jason Grajczyk, Jake Curtis, and Katie Curtis.

Services for Carl will be private. Arrangements have been entrusted to Sujkowski Funeral Home Northpointe, 419-476-9176. Memorial tributes may be given to the American Cancer Society. Condolences can be shared at www.sujkowski.com.