It is with deep sadness and much love that we share the passing of Christine “Chris” Grondalski. Chris passed away peacefully in her sleep on August 2, 2026, at the McGraw Center for Hospice on the campus of the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.

Born to JD and Frances Graves, Chris was the oldest of three children. No matter where life took her across the United States, she developed and fostered lasting friendships and created countless cherished memories.

The defining love story of her life began on the very first evening of freshman year at Wheeling University in 1967, when she met Thomas “Tom” Grondalski. They married on July 10, 1971, and together shared 55 wonderful years of marriage, building a life centered entirely on love, family, and togetherness. Chris was a devoted and loving mother to their son, Joseph “Joe” Grondalski, who has found his lifelong partner in Shannon Ruff. Nothing brought Chris more joy than her family, both actual and extended.

Chris was deeply embedded in a rich tapestry of family and sisterhood. She is survived by her two brothers, Nathan Graves (wife Julie Reid) and Mark Graves (wife Judy), along with numerous nieces, nephews, and their children. She also embraced Tom’s family as her own, sharing a special bond with Tom’s siblings, especially the “sisterhood”: Mary Grondalski (deceased), Jean Grondalski, Catherine (Grondalski) Coyne (late husband Robert), and Margaret (Grondalski) Nassar (husband Joseph); as well as brothers Steven Grondalski (wife Colleen) and John Grondalski (late wife Fran) – along with all of her nieces and nephews, their families and children.

Throughout her life, Chris cultivated deep, meaningful connections. She found her "best friend forever" and a true sister in Sally Thomason (husband Charles) in the mid-1980s in Marietta, GA. After years apart yet always in touch with each other, life brought them remarkably close again in 2012, living just six miles apart once more in the Upstate of South Carolina – they shared everything!

An equestrian from her pre-teen years all through her life, horses were a part of Chris's extended family. Whether spending hours riding with Sally through the woods of North Georgia or in the high desert of Park City, Utah—where she resided for 12 years—Chris was most at home in the saddle, mucking stalls, and caring for her beloved four-legged family, most noticeably her horse, Ginger. She was often seen just as she loved to be: in her riding breeches and boots!

Chris was a woman of many talents and creative passions. She treasured gatherings with family and friends, had a special place in her heart for the many cats she loved throughout her life, and possessed a remarkable artistic spirit. She was an accomplished musical talent who played numerous stringed instruments—with a deep love for all genres of music, especially Americana—and she was a skilled artist and seamstress who never shied away from any creative challenge. She took immense pride in working “the farm life” at an apple orchard and in teaching water aerobics for many years to senior citizens. Chris loved the outdoors especially skiing with Tom and friends, snowshoeing, hiking, and biking in the mountains around Park City.

Chris’s bright smile, contagious laughter, and kind spirit left a lasting impression on everyone she met. She had a unique gift for making people feel welcome, loved, and cared for, and her presence brought immense comfort and joy to those around her. Chris provided inspiration to all those near her with the persistent conviction to “always be kind . . . and to treat others with dignity and respect.”

Though her absence leaves an immeasurable void, the love she shared and the memories she created will remain in the hearts of her family and friends forever.

A funeral mass will be held on September 4th, 2026, at 10:00 AM at Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in Piscataway, Maryland. Father Albert from DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland, will preside as celebrant, honoring the family's cherished connections to the school.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be made in memory of Mrs. Christine (Chris) Grondalski in support of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Research at Mayo Clinic. Donations can be made online, by phone or by mail:

- Online: give.mayoclinic.org/ChrisGrondalski

- Phone: Please call 855-852-8129 to talk with a team member who can facilitate a secure gift transfer over the telephone. We ask that the above information is shared when calling.

- Mail: Checks can be written directly to Mayo Clinic and sent to 200 First Street SW Rochester, MN 55905. In the memo line please write in memory of “Mrs. Christine Grondalski”.