Mary "Connie" (Rapp) Zukowski

Mary Constance Rapp Zukowski died on January 22, 2024, in Barrington, IL.   Always known as Connie, she lived for nearly sixty years in Crystal Lake, IL.   She was 93 years old.

Connie was born on November 30, 1930 in Highland Park, IL to Francis Rapp and Katherine Reding.  Her extended family were butchers and grocers and operated stores on the near north side of Chicago and its suburbs.  She graduated from Marquette University and taught speech therapy in the public schools in Illinois and Michigan.   There she met Richard Zukowski, recently made attorney, and married him and moved to Evanston IL.  In 1959 they moved to Crystal Lake where Richard and his cousin, Edwin Zukowski, formed one of the first law firms in Crystal Lake, which survives today as ZRFM.  She raised five children on Lake Shore Drive and watched the town of Crystal Lake grow as her children did.  Richard and Connie were active in St Thomas the Apostle Church.  Connie did needlepoint, crochet and knitting, attended the same book club for decades, and played bridge.  She navigated during the many car trips that the couple took through the United States and Canada, and joined Richard on his sailboat in Lake Michigan.  She spent some years in Chicago, where Richard established a branch of the law firm.  In her later years she moved back to Crystal Lake, and eventually to the Garlands of Barrington.

Connie is survived by her five children and their spouses and children:  Karen Zukowski and David Diamond; Eve Zukowski and John Lippman and their children Rose and Sonja Lippman; Matt Zukowski; Peter Zukowski; and Paul and Julie (Potter) Zukowski and their children Frances and Alan Zukowski.  She also leaves a brother, Mark Rapp and a family of nephews and nieces, and many devoted friends.   She is pre-deceased by her husband of 44 years, Richard; one grandchild, Ted Diamond; and two brothers, Bob Rapp and Frank Rapp.

Visitation will be from 10am until prayers at 12:30pm Friday January 26 at Davenport Family Funeral Home, 419 E. Terra Cotta Ave (Route 176) Crystal Lake.  Mass of Christian Burial will be at 1pm at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 451 W. Terra Cotta Ave, Crystal Lake followed by burial in Crystal Lake Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the League of Women Voters, www.lwv.org