John Grucza

John “Jack” Grucza passed peacefully at his home in Phoenix, Arizona, on November 17, 2021. Jack was born on March 23, 1932, to Helen and Leo Grucza in Buffalo, New York. He attended the University of Buffalo where he received his R.N. (Registered Nurse) degree and also met his wife, Sylvia. They were married on September 15, 1953, and after serving in the U.S. Army and receiving his honorable discharge, they moved to Rochester, Minnesota, where Jack received his C.R.N.A. (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist) designation from Mayo Clinic. They settled in Ames, Iowa, where he began his career at Mary Greeley Memorial Hospital while adding to their growing family of four children. His career took him to Perry, Iowa, at the Dallas County Hospital and finally to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa. In the mid 1980’s at the University of Iowa Hospitals, he was instrumental in managing the anesthesia team for a relatively new procedure for pulverizing kidney stones using an Extracorporeal Shock-Wave lithotripter. He also enjoyed mentoring students in the C.R.N.A. Program in Iowa City and continues that mentorship at Midwestern University in Glendale, AZ. Jack was passionate about his family, his faith and his career and enjoyed a long anesthesia practice. After retiring from the University of Iowa, Jack and Sylvia relocated to the warmer climate of Sun City West, AZ. Jack enjoyed a good Manhattan, a nice steak, playing bridge or cribbage along with swinging his tennis racket and a golf club. He passed these passions onto his children which is still appreciated to this day. Jack was preceded in death by his wife, Sylvia, and his sister, Patricia Boulware, and is survived by his children, Paula (Tom) Damgaard, Ellen (Steve) Diedrichsen, John (Sandy) Grucza and Paul (Brenda) Grucza; his grandchildren, Nicole and Josh Wilkinson, Mitchell and Claire Damgaard, Taylor Grucza and Connor Grucza; his great grandchildren, Chase, Cruz and Madelynn. Jack will be laid to rest alongside Sylvia at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona. Private services will be held for the family. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to: Zephyr Hospice, 14040 N. Cave Creek Rd., #308, Phoenix, AZ 85022.