Sandra Gronkiewicz

Sandra Gronkiewicz (née Williams), 65, of Forest Park, Illinois, passed away peacefully at home on March 11, 2026, after a courageous battle with breast cancer.

 

Sandra was born on March 5, 1961, in Chicago, Illinois, to Darven Williams and Anna Lee Campbell.

 

Sandra dedicated her professional life to caring for others as a registered nurse. Most recently, she worked at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital. Nursing was more than a career for Sandra; it was a calling that reflected her belief in dignity, compassion, and service to others.

 

Outside of her work, Sandra embraced life with enthusiasm and curiosity. She loved traveling, dancing the night away at live music shows, spending time with good friends, and taking care of her dogs, Bino and Loki. Sandra was a free spirit who brought joy and laughter wherever she went. Those who knew her often spoke of her sharp wit and sense of humor, but they also knew her as someone who cared deeply about the world and the people in it.

 

Above all else, Sandra loved her family. She was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, and nothing brought her more happiness than time spent with the people she loved most—especially her grandsons.

 

Sandra is survived by her husband, Andrew Gronkiewicz; her children, Jason Ritchie and Jennifer Folino (née Ritchie); and her beloved grandsons, Benjamin and Samuel Folino. She was preceded in death by her sister, Shelly Diane Sherrill.

 

Sandra will be remembered for her strength, her free spirit, and the compassion she showed to everyone around her. Her memory will live on in the many lives she touched and the family she loved so deeply.

 

Family and friends are invited to gather in Sandra’s memory on Sunday, March 29, 2026, at Carbonara Funeral Home, 1515 25th Avenue, Melrose Park, Illinois. Visitation will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., with a celebration of life memorial service at 4:00 p.m.