South Grafton – Cecelia S. (Mercik) Kuras, 97, of South Grafton, entered God’s life of eternal peace on January 3, 2024 at UMass Memorial Hospital.
She leaves her daughter, Janice Zawada of Ashland, and her son and daughter-in-law, Joseph E. and Maryellen (Jarzobski) Kuras of Grafton. She also leaves seven grandchildren (and their spouses); Kristen (Zawada) Wurster (Michael), Rachel Zawada (Adam Finkel), Jaclyn Zawada (Michael Moran), Lauren Zawada (James Lipshaw), Jonathan Kuras (Ellen), Jillian (Kuras) Domings (Nicholas), and Justin Kuras (Amanda Vachon). She leaves thirteen great grandchildren; Noel, Brad, and Elena; Sage and Aria; Maddie and Nova; Clark, Teddy, and Luke; Leah and Violet; and Matthew.
Cecelia was predeceased by her husband of 50 years, Joseph A. Kuras, in 1997; her parents, Anna (Lysik) and Stanley Mercik; and two brothers, Charles P. Mercik and Chester J. Mercik.
She was born in the mill village of Jefferson, in Holden, in 1926 and moved to South Grafton at age 3 where she became a parishioner of St. James Church in South Grafton.
Cecelia was employed at the former Grafton State Hospital in North Grafton, and the Irving A. Glavin Regional Center in Shrewsbury, initially in food services, and then as a seamstress. She was a graduate of the David Hale Fanning Girls Trade School in Worcester and loved to cook and sew. Her Polish roots were most evident in her homemade golombkis throughout the years and all of the recipes she and her mother prepared for Christmas Eve (Wigilia) every year. In addition to sewing many of her own clothes, she was skilled at reupholstering furniture and making curtains and drapes.
As a child, Cecelia played shortstop on her South Grafton girls softball team. Her athletic skills carried over to her adult life when she joined the employees’ bowling league at Grafton State Hospital in the 1960’s. She won several trophies for her individual accomplishments; some of which are on display today at the Grafton Historical Society museum.
Cecelia and her husband Joe enjoyed many day trips with Janice and “Joey” to Misquamicut and Horseneck beaches, family vacations on the shores of North Truro and Cape Cod Bay with their children, her brother Charlie and his family, and in later years, with her grandchildren, in the “Moon House” (with moon-shaped cutouts in the shutters as identified by her first grandchild, Kristen.) In later years, she and her husband Joe traveled by car to the Miami, Florida area every winter to vacation with family and friends from South Grafton.
The family of Cecelia Kuras wishes to extend its heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the following people who made it possible for her to live out her life in the same home that her husband built 1953. They include neighbors Chip and Carolyn Hudson, Jonathan Maisoh at Elder Services of the Worcester Area, and Marjorie Faugno of Elara Home Caring of Worcester.
A celebration of the life of Cecelia Kuras will be held on Thursday, January 11, with calling hours open to the public from 10-11 AM at the Roney Funeral Home, 152 Worcester Street, North Grafton, MA. In accordance with her wishes, memorial services and burial will be private after that time.
In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in her memory to the Grafton Food Bank, Box 324, Grafton, MA 01519.
