Obituary of Alexandria Spilewski

Alexandria “Alice” (Kostro) Spilewski

Spilewski, Alexandria (Kostro) age 93 of New Hope MN and formerly of Northwest Indiana, passed away July 22, 2020 from complications following COVID-19. She was preceded in death by her husband Robert Spilewski; sisters Phyllis and Helen; brothers Chester, Steve (“Whitey”), and Casimer (“Carlo”);  mother Lottie and father Alexander. She is survived by her sister Stella; daughter Maryellen Knapik; son-in-law Conrad "Kip" Knapik; grandchildren Hollie Christine (Brentt), Jacob Robert, and Alex Conrad (Cassandra) Knapik; and great-grandchildren Cade Robert Lee, Talan Conrad, and Skylar Christine Wessman, Daniel Joseph and Dalilah Grace Gudino, Alessandra Sunshine Knapik, and Payton Rose. She loved and was loved by many cousins, nieces and nephews, friends, and other family no less important but too numerous to list here.

Born Alexandra Kostro in Chicago on July 17, 1927, Alice loved dancing (“remember me during the polkas” she said in her last months), her husband (he was “the best one, he gave me his whole paycheck and didn’t run off with anyone”), her friends and family (“I’d like to have just a couple more years to see everyone grow up a little bit”), and, perhaps most of all, her daughter Maryellen. Alice had amazing strength and will, surviving both a severe case of polio at age three and COVID-19 at ninety-two. Whether at her job as a school crossing guard, as a mother and grandmother, a friend, churchgoer, or resident patient at a care facility, Alice was both cranky and lovable, making almost everyone’s life just a bit brighter - as long as you didn’t get on her bad side, or even if you did. It was an honor to have her part of this world. 

Thank you to so many of the staff at North Ridge Health, the care facility where she lived the last six years, and the nurses and workers at Grace Hospice, who supported her and her family throughout the end of her journey in this life. Alice won’t be officially counted in those that we have lost due to COVID-19, having finally been cleared after multiple positive tests with the virus. But we lost her to it all the same; please honor her memory by wearing masks, social distancing, and coming together to end this epidemic in America.

Cremation was held in Minnesota. A memorial service will be held Thursday, July 30th at 4:30 PM at Sacred Heart of Jesus Polish National Catholic Church (420 22nd Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418). Memorials are preferred to this church and Father John Kutek, who gave her great spiritual comfort and community.