Krystyna Emma Skrowaczewski

Skrowaczewski, Krystyna Emma age 78, of Wayzata, died on August 26, after a lengthy illness. She was the beloved wife of conductor- composer Stanislaw Skrowaczewski for 55 years and a devoted mother and grandmother. Krystyna was diagnosed with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) in 2006. With a brave and positive outlook, she endured this rare neurodegenerative brain disease with the devoted support of her family, caregivers, and friends. Born in Kraków, Poland on April 26, 1933, she was the daughter of Roman and Jadwiga Jarosz. Her parents provided her with the finest education. By age 6 she was already fluent in French. After surviving the Russian and German occupations of her homeland during World War II, Krystyna graduated from Jagiellonian University, Kraków, majoring in Romance languages. One of her professors and acquaintances was Karol Wojtyla, who was elected Pope John Paul II in 1978.

In 1952 she met Stanislaw Skrowaczewski backstage after he conducted a concert by the Kraków Philharmonic. They met again by chance in 1956 while skiing in the Tatra Mountains, and were married that same year. Throughout their lives they shared a passion for both music and the outdoors, and Krystyna became an extraordinary gardener and cook. The young couple's lives changed forever upon Stanislaw's appointment as music director of the then Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra (today the Minnesota Orchestra) in 1960, a position he held until 1979. They lived first in Minneapolis before moving to Wayzata, where they remained for more than forty years, and where Stanislaw continues to live as composer, guest conductor, and member of the community.

Along with raising their children, Krystyna was a keen administrative assistant to her husband throughout his career. She occasionally traveled the world with him, attending his concerts and the premieres of his compositions. In 2004 she accompanied him on one of his concert tours of Japan. Her unflagging support of his career was a lifelong inspiration to the distinguished conductor- composer. Gracious, warm-spirited, and perceptive, Krystyna brought a unique sense of devotion to her family and friends. She was fluent in four languages, and possessed innate artistic sensibilities along with exquisite taste. Friends knew Krystyna as an elegant hostess for numerous dinner parties. In her younger years she kept pace with Stanislaw's appetite for mountain climbing, hiking, and skiing. She also planned adventurous vacations for her family to the Grand Tetons and islands in the Caribbean.

Krystyna was a lifelong animal lover and a strong supporter of the Humane Society of the United States. Her other charitable causes included the Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, the Polish American Cultural Institute of Minnesota, and Habitat for Humanity. A woman of unlimited compassion, she was enormously generous and devoted to her family and friends. Across many decades, she sent beautiful care packages to relatives and friends in Poland and throughout the United States. Krystyna was always happiest when she was caring for or doing something for others.

In addition to her loving husband, Krystyna is survived by her daughter, Anna Skrowaczewski; her son Paul Sebastien and his wife Melissa, of Tiburon, CA; her son Nicholas Skrowaczewski, of Minneapolis, MN; granddaughters Madeleine and Mia Sebastien; her brother, Rajmund Jarosz, of Kraków; her niece, Justyna Polaczek, of Kraków; and her nephew, Bartlomiej Jarosz, of Kraków.

A celebration of Krystyna's life will be held on Saturday, September 10, 10 a.m., at St. Olaf Catholic Church, 215 South 8th Street, Minneapolis. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Krystyna Skrowaczewski's name to the Foundation for PSP CBD and Related Brain Diseases (CurePSP), the Mayo Clinic, or any of the four charities listed above.