Stephen M. ""Wrob" "Coach"" Wroblewski

Stephen M. Wroblewski AKA "Wrob" "Coach"

Stephen M. Wroblewski, a.k.a. "Wrob" "Coach." We mourn the passing of Stephen M. Wroblewski of Griffith, Ind., (better known as Wrob!) on December 1, 2025.

Born in Pittsburg, Pa., in 1944 but raised by a gravel pit in South Bend, Ind., he was the offspring of an obstinate, steel-working Serb family (U.S. Army Private Olga Radosevich, 1923-2008) and equally hard-headed Polish lineage (U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Clayton Wroblewski, 1920-1978) all made possible by World War II. After an early life of enjoying the smells of the Meussel Brewery and then graduating from South Bend Central High School, Big Wrob went on to play football and golf at Franklin College (Class of 1966, Masters of Education 1972 from IUN). After a semester of living at home in South Bend and teaching at Culver Community High School, he was very eager to start life with his new bride Chris and what would become his epic tenure at Munster High School. For 48 years (he could not be talked into 50, but he could have done it) he taught math, geometry, business, and lunch. He was associated with a host of really excellent peers and fine teachers; too many to list but we must note his pal and coaching guru Rob! (Ed Robertson.) Wrob! and Rob! had many laughs and so much fun coaching the Mustangs - especially those freshman football squads. He enjoyed his role as the Mustangs first athletic trainer before they started to get actual medical professionals to care for injured kids; they were tougher back then, right? He had a blast running the clock for MHS basketball games for years. A charter member of the Munster High School Athletic Hall of Fame, he was the Lake Suburban Conference Golf Coach of the Year, 1971. Although it was a tough transition from the Mustangs, Wrob! influenced a generation of footballers at Griffith High School including his son Andy from 1987 until 1993 as an assistant coach for the Panthers. He was amazed by the guys who would scale the barbed-wire fence to get home after practice. They surely had as much ferocity as the Mustangs of the 1970s. Wrob was an avid golfer. Golf Bob and the rest of us will miss his massive sweeping hook. He was a model train enthusiast and a big shot with the Illiana Train Club. Big Wrob was at one time a regular in the endzone for Franklin College football games and a regular at Bridges Scoreboard Lounge for the dinner specials. He spent his final years surrounded by friends and family and adopted dogs. Grandpa Wrob especially enjoyed watching his grandkids in all of their activities and sports.

He is survived by his wife, Chris; his brother, Mike Wroblewski (South Bend Central Bears Forever); daughter, Terri; son, Andy (wife Christine); and grandkids, Abby, Lily and Clayton.

It was truly a life well lived, and he always did it his way. Go FC Grizz! Go Bears! Celebration of life to be announced in the new year. In lieu of flowers memorials may be given to the Munster Education foundation or to any animal shelter or rescue foundation.

White Funeral Home in Griffith is entrusted with Coach Wrob's arrangements. For information, please call White Funeral Home at (219) 924-4100 or visit us at www.whitefuneralhomeofgriffith.com