Raymond Gawronski
Savannah, Ga.
Class of 1955
Major: Accounting
My wife, Mary Cronin Gawronski, and I were married at St. Marys of the Angels Church in Olean 54 years ago with Fr. Fidelis O'Rourke, O.F.M., assisting.
Mary's father was the captain of the 1926-1929 Bona’s basketball team and her sister Patty, Class of 1953, retired to Florida some years ago. Sadly she has departed us.
We have nine children all west of the Mississippi, except one in Florida. Our retirement years began in Savannah, Ga., in 1993 — the longest we have lived in any one place.
Our passion today is volunteering at the Social Apostolate of Savannah, which is a complete social service facility managed by a Franciscan, concentrating on helping the homeless. We also spend volunteer time at the City Night Shelter, which houses and feeds the homeless. We also volunteer at Sacred Heart Church.
I guess you could say that volunteering is our first passion with golf and gardening a close second and third.
We were blessed from above with early retirement so we could have the energy to help others. Savannah is the absolutely most beautiful city in the United States and we are very fortunate to have chosen it for our retirement years. Our guest rooms are open at no charge.
The SBU course “Marriage and the Family” has guided our lives. The inspiration to help others began with the good fathers and their dedication to help others at St. Bonaventure.