Frank John Grucelski

Written by: Frank John Grucelski on March 14, 2026

Frank J. Grucelski passed away on June 24, 2026, peacefully at home in Mesquite, Nevada. It ended a four-and-a-half-year battle with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) blood cancer.

He was born in Chicago, Illinois, on April 14, 1947, to Casey and Josephine Grucelski, who preceded him in death.

Surviving siblings:

Joan Watters (Bill) – Joliet, Illinois

Robert (Bob) Grucelski (Lolita) – Laguna Woods, California

Gene Grucelski (Sharon) – Plymouth, Wisconsin

John Grucelski (Bonnie) – Ann Arbor, Michigan

And numerous nieces and nephews.

As an infant, the whole family moved to a small dairy farm in Wisconsin where he was raised. He graduated from Thorp High School in 1965. He attended the University of Wisconsin–Stout, in Menomonie, Wisconsin, for one year, majoring in industrial technology.

Frank enlisted in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War and received mechanical and electrical training to repair portable ground equipment, generators, air compressors, heat and air conditioners, and gas turbines that were used by aircraft technicians during repairs to various aircraft on the flightline.

His permanent and temporary assignments included:

Amarillo AFB, Amarillo, Texas

Chanute AFB, Rantoul, Illinois

Warren AFB, Cheyenne, Wyoming

Langley AFB, Hampton, Virginia

Kadena AFB, Okinawa, Japan

Kwang Ju AFB, Gwangju, South Korea

Enewetak Atoll, Marshall Islands

Island of Curaçao, Willemstad, Curaçao (Caribbean)

After discharge, he joined the International Union of Operating Engineers Local #9 in Denver, Colorado, where he worked as a heavy equipment mechanic and welder. During this time, he earned two associate degrees from the Community College of Denver. He ended this portion of his career as a crane operator.

He started a handyman business and ran it for several years. He then went to work for a regional bank repairing building systems at locations across the Rocky Mountain Front Range.

He then went to work for a local commercial real estate company, again doing similar maintenance work at different locations in Colorado.

He married Monica Ellquist in September 1990. Together they raised a blended family of five children. Initially they hoped for tolerance, but over the years they were blessed with a family that cared for each other and would do anything to help each other.

They are:

Mike Grucelski (Kristi Tyrone) – Delta, Colorado

Brian Grucelski (Marie) – Athens, Alabama

Jessica Hoover (Danny) – Frederick, Colorado

Benny Ellquist – Englewood, Colorado

Andy Ellquist (Stefanie) – Mount Olive, Alabama

Grandchildren include: Hannah Ladtkow (Kyle), Wyatt Ellquist (Jess Dyer), Kaley Ellquist, Jenna Ellquist, William Ellquist, Ashley Ellquist, and Lindley Hoover.

Monica and Frank retired and moved from Colorado to Mesquite, Nevada, in 2004, where they enjoyed the warm climate, swimming, woodworking, and traveling the western states. While enjoying the sights, they enjoyed prospecting for minerals and gems. They also enjoyed the local seafood up and down the Oregon coast.

Thank you to all our family and friends for their love, support, and prayers that helped us through this chapter of our lives. A huge thanks goes to all of our “family” of doctors and nurses in the St. George, Utah, Southwest Regional Cancer Clinic Oncology-Hematology. They were angels, all of them, each and every one!

Thank you, Monica, my sweetie, for your unending love, support, and caring. I’ll see you on the other side, hopefully on the “up” escalator.

A Mass of Intention and an immediate family only interment will happen at the Southern Nevada Veteran Cemetery in Boulder City, Nevada, where the cremains will be buried at a later date.

A Celebration of Life will be scheduled for this fall in Mesquite, Nevada.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to:

1. Intermountain Health Cancer Center, St. George, Utah.

2. American Legion Post 24, Mesquite, Nevada. Donations may be sent to American Legion Post 24, 840 E. Hafen Lane, Mesquite, Nevada 89027.

3. Please donate blood to your local blood bank if you are willing and able.