Obituary of William F. Gromko III

William F. “Bill” Gromko III, 42, of Peabody and formerly of Beverly, died suddenly on October 19, 2011 after a continuing battle with asthma. He was born in Salem, MA on November 19, 1968, the son of Margaret J. (Smith) Zilinsky and the late William F. Gromko Jr. and the step-son of Robert J. Zilinsky. After graduating from Beverly High School in 1986, he attended North Shore Community College and was trained in computer-aided design. For many years he worked for the Massachusetts Highway Department and was also a truck driver for a food service in Peabody. Most recently, he worked as a cab driver in downtown Peabody. Bill was a gifted artist and enjoyed sketching people and animals. He was especially proud of his nieces and his nephew and godson and loved to sketch pictures for them. He also enjoyed spending time outdoors, whether it was landscaping, barbecues, or fishing. Bill spent many happy days at both his grandparents’ camps in New Hampshire, where he fished and water skied. He also enjoyed the years he resided in San Diego, CA where the climate allowed more time for outdoor activities. He was looking forward to going back to San Diego to catch up with old friends. He was a devoted member of the Calvary Christian Church in Lynnfield. He had been an active participant in Bible Study and loved to sing in the choir. In addition to his mother and step-father of Danvers, Bill his survived by his brother and his wife, David “Scott” and Ann Marie Gromko of San Marcos, CA, his nieces and nephew, Hannah, Chloe and Maxwell Gromko, his grandmothers, Ann (Andrea) R. Gromko of Lynnfield and Jane R. Smith of Barefoot Bay, Florida, his aunt and uncle and cousin, Charles “Deane”, Linda and Zachary Smith . He also leaves his great aunts and great uncles, Peter and Hilda Barter of Beverly, Marjorie and Elmer Hatch of Boxford, and Norma “Bunny” Smith of Beverly as well as several cousins. He was predeceased by his father, his aunt Evelyn Conway and his grandfathers, William F. Gromko Sr., and Charles E. Smith and his uncle, Peter E. Smith. A Visitation will be held on Tuesday , October 25, 2011 at the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home at the 82 Lynn St., Peabody facility from 5:00 until 8:00 PM. A funeral service will be held at the funeral home on Wednesday at 11:30 AM. Relatives and friends are kindly invited. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Salvation Army, 209 Broadway, Saugus MA 01906.