Bernard J. Grabusky

Bernard J. Grabusky peacefully passed away on June 22, 2019, enveloped in love and surrounded by his family.  Bernie or Pop, as he was known to his grandchildren is survived by his beloved wife, Martyanne Ello Grabusky, his three children and their spouses: Bernard & Carol Grabusky, Carole & David Renninger and James & Johnna Grabusky.  He will be missed greatly by the grandchildren who adored him: Kathryn, Gunnar, Logan, Emily, Dale, Michael, Rachael, Paige and Andrew.

Bernie was born to Anne Kathryn Karinch Grabusky and Bernard Joseph Grabusky in 1941 in Lebanon, PA.  He was the eldest of six children and is survived by his sister Anne and brothers John, Joe and Frank.  Growing up, Bernie was an excellent sportsman and played football and baseball while attending school.  He graduated from Lebanon High School in Lebanon, PA as a member of the class of 1959.  He joined the Army and served from 1959 to 1962 as an Electronics Technician and also proudly served his country in Korea. 

He met Martyanne in high school where they dated for a while. Bernie and Martyanne were married in April of 1964.  Bernie had many skills and held many jobs.  He was a Journeyman Carpenter, a member of the Carpenters’ Union Local 600 and a miner for Bethlehem Steel; he owned a tavern called the Golden Eagle in Lebanon, PA and served his country again in the US Naval Reserve in the Seabee Detachment as a Builder 1st Class and then later as a Navy Recruiter and Chief Petty Officer in various locations including Lehigh Valley, PA, Washington, DC and Bear, DE where he finally retired in August 2001.

He was an incredibly hard worker and achieved much in his lifetime. He lived by a certain principle.  He would say, “Be it big or be it small, do it right or not at all.”  He worked hard to support his family.  He returned to school later in life and received his AAS in Construction Management from Northampton Community College in 1984 and then returned again to University of the State of New York (Regents) to receive his Bachelor of Liberal Arts in 1995. He also served his community in Northampton on the Planning Commission and Building Code Board.

He had an excellent sense of humor and loved to tell a good joke.  He appreciated jazz music - listened to and recorded Hot Jazz Saturday Night on WAMU every week.  He was a modern-day renaissance man – a superior marksman, he could construct or fix anything, was a great mechanic and a fine friend.

He will be missed.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 12:00 pm on Monday July 1, 2019 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Roman Catholic Church, 345 Bear Christiana Rd., Bear, DE 19701 where a visitation will begin at 10:30 am.  A committal service will follow at 2:00 in Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, you may donate in his honor to a charitable organization that serves our veterans, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Church or the Alzheimer’s Association, 240 N. James St., Suite 100A, Newport, DE 19804.

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