Edward J. Dombrowski

ST. CHARLES - Edward J. Dombrowski, 89, passed away in the early morning hours of Sunday, Jan. 10, 2010, surrounded by family at Provena Care Center after a prolonged battle with cancer. Ed was a lifelong resident of St. Charles, born in Dec. 5, 1920, to a family of entrepreneurs, and raised in the second-floor home above the family-owned grocery store that later was a shoe store where the new fire station now stands on First Avenue. He grew up by assisting his father in the family's downtown shoe store and at his father's tavern, 3 Step Inn, which was located where Pub 222 now operates.

Ed was a stand out on the football field at St. Charles High School. He worked as a lifeguard at Pottawatomie Park and once saved the life of Karl "Kully" Madsen, who would later become his brother-in-law. It was the first fateful moment in Ed's long, storied life. Ed enlisted in the U. S. Marine Corps and was a part of the 1st Marine Division that captured several islands in the South Pacific during World War II. He was a part of the infamous Marine landing on Peleliu, where more than 10,000 Marines were killed or wounded. Ed himself was seriously wounded and lost the use of his right hand and while rehabbing at Great Lakes Naval Station in Glenview, Ill., he met Lt. Margaret Hildebrand, a Navy nurse. The two married on April 10, 1948, at St. Patrick's Church in St. Charles and had six children, 11 grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.

After an apprenticeship, Ed continued his professional career at Roto Color and later worked as a print operator for Pioneer Press before retiring from the Chicago Sun-Times in 1985. He told stories of sitting at the Billy Goat Tavern on lower Wacker Drive and having a beer with writers such as Chicago icons Mike Royko and Studs Terkel. Ed then took a second job as a bartender at Frank Young's Back of the Yards Tavern in St. Charles to help put his children through school. Ed was an avid fisherman and took numerous trips to Wisconsin and Minnesota to fish and be in the great outdoors. He was a volunteer firefighter for the St. Charles Fire Department and was a member of the Moose and VFW.

Ed is survived by Margaret, his wife of 61 years; six children, Barbara (Doug) Graffagna of Geneva, Steve (Sarah) Hunt of St. Charles, Kay (Gary) Clodfelter of Indianapolis, Ind., Joe (Wendy) Dombrowski of Flagstaff, Ariz., Diane Jacobs of Flagstaff, Ariz., and John Dombrowski of Virgil; 10 grandchildren, Elizabeth (Larry) Andersen of Chicago, Alyssa (Kevin) Kilroy of Chicago, Ginger and Robert Hunt of St. Charles, Jason Clodfelter of Los Angeles, Calif., Cameron Clodfelter of Indianapolis, Ind., Nick (Maura) Dombrowski of Kansas City, Mo., Alex Dombrowksi of Kansas City, Mo., and Mitchell and Nathan Jacobs of Flagstaff, Ariz.; and one great-grandchild, Barbara "Birdy" Andersen.

He was preceded in death by his grandson, Ben Graffagna; his parents; a step-brother, Alex Sylkaitis; and stepsisters Estella Sylkaitis and Apolina Lockowick.

Visitation will be private. Friends and family are invited to attend Ed's funeral Mass at 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 15, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in downtown St. Charles. Monsignor Joseph Linster will be celebrant. Ed will be buried at Union Cemetery on North Fifth Avenue in St. Charles. Following burial, a memorial reception will take place at Francesca's on the Fox, 200 S. Second St., St. Charles, and all friends and family are invited.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Marmion Academy for the Ben Graffagna Memorial Scholarship

Arrangements were made by Yurs Funeral Home of St. Charles. For information, call 630-584-0060 or visit www.yursfuneralhomes.com