7-18-2023 8:43am

Gene Stankiewicz enjoyed traveling, photography, and ham radio

Michael McGinnis Editor

Gene Stankiewicz (1939-2023)

Eugene “Gene” Peter Stankiewicz, 84, of South Beloit worked for a variety of technology companies until his retirement. He was an active participant and volunteer for the Boy Scouts of America, amateur radio, St. Rita Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, Computers for Schools, and VetsRoll. He enjoyed traveling, photography, ham radio, and when his children and grandchildren were young, camping and family vacations.

He died unexpectedly on Thursday, July 13, 2023.

Gene was born in Milwaukee, WI to the late Michael and Eugenia (Galashinski) Stankiewicz on April 24, 1939. Eugene graduated from St. Johns Cathedral High School in Milwaukee in 1957. He served in the Navy from 1957 to 1961. He graduated in 1963 from Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) with an associate degree. He married Joyce Smerlinski on April 4, 1964, in Milwaukee where they lived until relocating to Rockford, IL in 1974. Gene and Joyce were happily married for 53 years until her passing in 2017.

In 2020 Gene met the next love of his life, Shirley Case. They spent a lot of time together and quickly became inseparable. They were married in May 2022 and enjoyed blending families, traveling, jigsaw puzzles, eating all of Shirley’s cooking, dancing in the kitchen and a daily fire in the fireplace. If you knew Gene, you knew his love of desserts and his nightly bowl of ice cream.

Gene is survived by his wife Shirley; his children Pete (Abby) Stankiewicz, Mark Stankiewicz, and Jeanne (John) Hawk; his stepchildren Colleen (Lenny) Lengrand, Greg (Vicky) Thomas, Ellen Granneman, Douglas (Donna) Case, Jeri Dorman, Christine (Steve) Bishop; grandchildren Griffin, Nicholas and Andrew Stankiewicz, Daniel (Janelle) Hawk and Virginia (Darrin) Leasure; 5 step grandchildren and 11 step great grandchildren; brothers Michael (Barbara), David (Kathy) and Marc (Cindy); sisters Judith McDonald, Catherine (Michael) Ferlitsch, and Jane (Bill) Ryan.

He was preceded in death by Joyce, his wife of 53 years; his brother Daniel Stankiewicz, and sisters Rita Lipski and Mary Robertson.

A visitation will take place on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory, 1860 S. Mulford Road, Rockford, Illinois 61108. Funeral Mass will be held the following day, Thursday July 20, 2023, at 11 a.m. at St. Rita Catholic Church, 6254 Valley Knoll Drive, Rockford, Illinois 61109. Interment will be at Arlington Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in his name to VetsRoll.