Merle Bilan Krokosky

Merle Bilan Krokosky, 85, of Goodrich, Michigan, passed away on December 8, 2024. Of her many blessings, she is remembered for her warmth, inquisitive nature, steadfast faith, and sharp sense of humor. Above all, she was a dedicated matriarch who, without second thought, always put her family first. Merle Terrado Bilan was born on January 18, 1939 to Felix Binsol and Benigna Terrado Bilan in Lucena, Quezon, Philippines. Her early childhood was marked by uncertainty and violence, as her family’s very survival was threatened by frequent raids and detainments during the tumultuous period of Japanese invasion and occupation. Following the American liberation of the Philippines, Felix, a young law student in training, struggled to provide for his family, often moving their children (in order: Reynaldo, Merle, Rogelio, Rolando, and Myrna) wherever he could find work. Eventually, Felix secured steady work and was able to settle his family in postwar Manila. It was there that Merle attended the University of Santo Tomas, completing her graduate education and earning her medical degree. In 1961, Merle married Antonio Bunji Gutierrez, with whom she had five children (in order: Alexander, Marian, Manuel, Rosario, Benedicto). But as political unrest fermented in the summer of 1972, Merle made what she emphatically referred to as “the most difficult decision in her life,” and left for the United States in search of a better life for her children. Over the next four years, Felix and Benigna cared for her children in Manila while Merle stayed with extended family in the Detroit, Michigan area, where she searched tirelessly for work despite the challenges of holding a foreign medical degree. But with the help of friends and persistent determination, she landed an opportunity at Crittenton Hospital in Detroit-the beginning of a storied and successful career in private practice. By 1976, she had saved enough to buy a home in Flint, Michigan, and toward the end of the year, returned to the Philippines to bring her five children back with her. Over the next decade, she dutifully continued work as a practitioner and single mother and remarried a then-widowed Walter Krokosky on December 16, 1985. Through the late 1990s, she welcomed twelve grandchildren into the family, traveled Europe with her sister, before retiring in the spring of 2001. In retirement, Merle was an active member in the Council of Catholic Women and the St. Mark’s Shawl Ministry and also served as a church catechism instructor and a volunteer at the Flint North End Soup Kitchen. She made no secret of her excitement for family gatherings, and perhaps more so, trips to the casino. In the spring following Walter’s passing in late 2018, Merle returned to the Philippines for a six-month sojourn to reconnect with her roots and spend time with her sister. In her final weeks, days, and moments, Merle was surrounded by her loving family. She was preceded in death by her father, Felix; mother, Benigna; and brothers, Reynaldo, Rogelio, and Rolando. She is survived by her sister, Myrna; her five children, Alex (Theresa) Gutierrez, Marian (Carlos) Perozo, Manuel (Christine) Gutierrez, Rose Gutierrez, and Ben (Kim) Gutierrez; twelve grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. A memorial mass will be held on Saturday, December 21 at 10:00 AM at St. Mark’s church (7296 Gale Rd, Grand Blanc, MI 48439) followed by an inurnment at White Chapel Memorial Park Cemetery (621 W Long Lake Rd, Troy, MI 48098). In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Mark’s church. Arrangements by Sharp Funeral Homes & Cremation Center, 6063 Fenton Rd., Grand Blanc, MI 48507. Tributes may be shared at www.sharpfuneralhomes.com