Jennie (Janina) Drągowski, 92, of Richmond, Rhode Island, passed away on Jan. 12, 2023. Born in Łupianka Stara, Poland on Aug. 8, 1930, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Maryanne (Łapinski) Roszkowski. Jennie emigrated by herself to the United States on a ship from Poland in 1958, and met her future husband, John, shortly thereafter. Jennie and John were married on Jan. 30, 1960, at St. Casimir’s Church in Newark, but within four years had moved to Blairstown. Jennie became a United States citizen on May 1, 1970, which was one of the proudest moments of her life.
Jennie taught herself how to read, write and speak English, and was hired as a worker at the Land of Make Believe in Hope in 1972 and then as a Packer for M&M/Mars in Hackettstown in 1981. She worked there until she retired on Oct. 31, 1997, shortly after her husband’s death. Jennie remained in New Jersey until 2010, when she moved to Richmond, Rhode Island. A devout Roman Catholic, she enjoyed going to mass and saying the rosary. She also loved gardening, traveling and visiting her family.
Jennie is survived by her children Alexander Drągowski and Barbara Dale. She also leaves behind her daughter-in-law Teresa Drągowski and son-in-law Richard Dale, and grandchildren Christopher, Alexis, Nicholas and Zachary Drągowski.
A wake will be held in Rhode Island on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Avery Storti Funeral Home, 88 Columbia St., Wakefield, RI. A prayer service will be held during the wake at 5:30 p.m.
There will also be a visitation held in New Jersey on Friday, Jan. 20, 2023 at Newbaker Funeral Home, 200 NJ-94, Blairstown from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. A funeral mass will be performed at 11:30 a.m. at Saints Peter and Paul Church, 360 US-46, Great Meadows followed by her burial at Pequest Union Cemetery, 36 Cemetery Road, Great Meadows.