Gertrude A. Sokolowsky

Gertrude Sokolowsky, a lifelong resident of Princess Bay passed away on Sunday, July 26, 2026. A native Staten Islander, Gertrude was born on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 1929 at her parents home in Grant City, Staten Island. . She graduated from elementary and high school at St. Louis Academy in Pleasant Plains. She continued her education at Saint Catherine's School of Nursing in Brooklyn where she became a licensed registered nurse. Then she attended Wagner College, where she met the love of her life, her late husband, Charles Sokolowsky, who passed away in October 2023 and with whom she was married for 70 wonderful years. In the 1960's and 1970's, she held positions at various hospitals and school of nursing in both Staten Island and New Jersey as a registered nurse, director of nursing and hospital administrator. She received her Bachelor's of Science degree in Nursing at New Jersey State University and then went on to receive her Master's of Science degree in Public Health Administration also at New Jersey State University. When she retired in the late 1980's her life centered around volunteerism. She became very involved in many philanthropic and community based volunteer organizations on Staten Island, including tremendous involvement in her church at Saint Joseph, St. Thomas, St. John Neumann. She was the President of the Staten Island Herb Society and also the President of the South Shore Garden Club, a member of First District, Federated Garden Club of New York State for eighteen years. She also held the position of Assistant Treasurer on the First District Executive Board. She chaired flower shows, and won many 1st place blue ribbons for horticulture and design in many district flower shows. Her passion was flower arranging and teaching it to others. She was on the Board of Directors of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation-Staten Island Division and mobilized a large team for many of their annual walks to raise much needed funds for juvenile diabetes. She was also on the Board of Directors of the Ladies of Charity-Archdiocese of New York in Manhattan and the Wagner College Guild whose mission was to raise much needed funds for scholarships for college students attending Wagner College. She was also a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher. She was a Eucharistic Minister at her church at the 11 am mass every Sunday and was also the Coordinator of the Homebound Eucharistic Minister Program overseeing the eucharistic ministers that distribute Holy Communion to church parishioners. Her daughter, Lynne Ellen McNamara often said that the greatest gift my parents gave me was the gift of my Catholic faith. Gertrude was also the President of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in her parish and also volunteered at fundraising events at the American Cancer Society on Staten Island. Gertrude was truly a trailblazer for her generation driven by her genuine passion to heal the sick and comfort hundreds of her patients in her career in nursing and also helping others in her later years having accomplished so much in her ninety-six years of life. But the greatest joy in her life was her family. She was married to her wonderful loving husband Charles for 70 years.. Gertrude always said that her greatest accomplishment in life was her daughter and only child, Lynne Ellen. The light of her life in her later years was her loving grandson, Ryan Gavin. Gertrude spent countless hours with him in her beautiful and spacious backyard on Vernon Avenue teaching him how to plant flowers and herbs and instilling in him her love of gardening. They were also known to have a game of catch once in a while. Ryan also taught her many things about her new computer. Being Ryan's "Grammy" brought so much joy, love and happiness into her life. A gathering of family and friends will take place on Monday, August 3 from 2 pm to 4 pm and 7 pm to 9 pm at the John Vincent Scalia Home for Funerals, Inc., 28 Eltingville Blvd. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Tuesday, August 4 at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 50 Maguire Ave. Interment will follow in St. Peter's Cemetery , Staten Island, New York. She was pre-deceased by her beloved husband, Charles Sokolowsky, her loving parents, Anastasia and Michael J Gorman, her young daughter, Mary Sokolowsky, her siblings William Gorman, Dorothy Formicola and Agnes Schneider and her two beloved white toy poodles, Tasha Monroe and Pinocchio. Gertrude is survived by her loving daughter, Lynne Ellen McNamara, son-in-law, John McNamara, beloved grandson, Ryan Gavin McNamara, family friend, John W. Crawford, her sister, Ann Babula and many cherished nieces and nephews. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.scaliahome.com

Gertrude A. Sokolowsky

November 26, 1929 - July 26, 2026