Shirley A. Gros

1929 - 2025

Shirley A. Gros
May 13, 1929 - September 2, 2025
Shirley Alice Gros, age 96, passed away peacefully, September 2, 2025, in Frederick, Maryland. She was born on May 13, 1929, in Waterbury, Connecticut, the firstborn of the late Henry and Laura Gros. While in college, she met her future husband, Joseph T. Stanowicz, an accounting major at Bryant, and the two were later married.
After college, Shirley and her husband moved to Watertown, Connecticut to be closer to her family. She was dedicated to her work at Forman assisting students with their college applications and chose not to retire until the age of 75. Shirley enjoyed traveling, with memorable trips to Hawaii, California, Rhode Island, Cape Cod, Block Island, the Bahamas, the Rocky Mountains, Maine, Nantucket Island, and the Outer Banks, and day trips with her sister, Betsy, to West Point and other nearby attractions. Although a Connecticut Yankee by heart, she relocated to Maryland in 2019 at the age of eighty-nine to be closer to her adult children and their families, living independently at Creekside at Taskers Chance, a retirement community in Frederick.
Family was very important to Shirley. She enjoyed baking, and her blueberry muffins, pancakes, and whipped cream cakes were family favorites. Those who knew Shirley will remember her love of the ocean, especially the rocky coast of Maine, and her special fondness for cats. She was an avid reader of detective stories, mysteries, and action thrillers. Shirley was a true fighter who survived bouts of pneumonia and covid-19, as well as numerous bone fractures due to osteoporosis; her recoveries are amazing stories of courage and resilience. She lived independently and remained mentally sharp and involved in the activities of her family throughout her long life.
A private service for her family will be held in Bethlehem, Connecticut. To read the full obituary or to send an online condolence for the family, visit www.munson-loveterefuneralhome.com.