Mary Drozda

Mary Drozda (nee Krochta) age 94, passed away on December 22, 2014 surrounded by her family. She resided with her daughter Valerie McMullan in Valparaiso. She was born in Gary on September 11, 1920 to the late William and Mary Krochta. Mary graduated from Froebel High School at age 16 and from Gary Business College. She was a lifetime member of the Protection of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church in Merrillville where her father was one of eight founding members. Here she served as a Sunday School teacher and a member of the church council. During WWII she was employed at U. S. Steel, Gary Works and the Foreman’s Association of America. She retired from Methodist Hospital, Northlake campus after 37 years of service. She served many terms as Secretary of the Ladies Auxiliary of the AFL-CIO in Gary. In 1944 she married Joseph Thomas Drozda, a co-worker at U. S. Steel and a member of her graduating class at Froebel. They enjoyed 53 years together prior to Joseph’s death in 1998. Also preceding her in death were her parents, three brothers – Nick (Anna) Krochta, Dan (Mary) Krochta and Steve Krochta; three sisters – Nettie Krochta, Anne (John) Mansfield and Olga (Bob) Shinovich. Surviving are her three children – Mary Lynn (late Thomas) Fuller of FL, William (fiancé Sandra Wilczynski) Drozda of FL and Valerie McMullan of Valparaiso; 6 grandchildren – Eric (Debbie) Fuller of IN, Erin Fuller of FL, Matthew Fuller of FL, Michael (Virginia) McMullan of Washington, DC, Matthew McMullan of Washington, DC, and Mary Nguyen (David) of IN; 2 great-granddaughters – Anna and Catherine McMullan of Washington, DC; nieces – Joyce Krochta, Barbara Whitlow, Tamara Ainsworth, Claudia Coker, Debra Rutkowski, and Sandra Shinovich; nephews – John Shinovich, William Shinovich and George Bartfai; numerous great nieces and nephews. Mary enjoyed cooking, baking, reading, writing her life’s story, “One of Eleven”, and spending time with her family. She was a devout Orthodox Christian and supported many charities and organizations. Funeral service Saturday, December 27, 2014 at 10 a.m. at Protection of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church, 8600 Grand Boulevard, Merrillville, IN. Interment in St. Mary’s Russian Orthodox Cemetery, 4401 W. Ridge Rd., Gary. Visitation Friday from 2-8 p.m. at Burns Funeral Home, 10101 Broadway, Crown Point, and at the church on Saturday from 9 a.m. until the time of service. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Protection of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church. www.burnsfuneral.com

Mary Drozda

September 11, 1920 - December 22, 2014