Mildred I. Karolak

Mildred I. Karolak (nee Zbrzezny ), 97, of Lorain, passed away Thursday, April 16, 2015 at Mercy Regional Medical Center. 　 Mildred was born November 25, 1917 in Lorain, OH and was a lifelong resident. She was a member of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church. She sang in the St Cecilia Choir, was president of the P.T.U., and served as a hospital volunteer for the parish. She was a soloist with the J.P. Paderewski Choir. 　 After raising her family, she attended Lorain Community College for two years. She then went on to Kent State University to obtain her bachelors degree in education. Mildred was a teacher for Sheffield Lake School District for 17 years at Barr and Tennyson Elementary Schools retiring in 1990. 　 She was a member of American University Women, American Educators for Poland (volunteered as a teacher for conversational English in Poland for 4 years), Ohio Education Association, National Education Association, and the Ohio Retired Teachers Association. Mildred was invited by the Russian government to observe their teaching methods compared to U.S. teaching methods, and visited Moscow and St. Petersburg as a primary educational specialist. She visited Taiwan, Japan, and China observing their schools. Mildred volunteered for Lorain & Sheffield Lake schools and the reading pilot programs of the Lorain Public Library. 　 Mildred enjoyed traveling. She visited 48 of the 50 states including Alaska, and Hawaii. She traveled to Europe, South America, parts of Asia, and to Israel with Father Ted Marszal. She is survived by daughters Marcia (John) Wargo and Mary Lou (Alan) Keefer both of Lorain; sons David (Diane) Karolak of Lorain and James (Veronica) Karolak of Amherst; 11 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 55 years, Anthony, in 1991, sons Mark (in infancy), Kurt in 1991, parents John and Josephine (nee Anuszkiewicz) Zbrzezny, sister Janet Lunn and brother Eugene Zbrzezny. The family will receive friends on Sunday, April 19th from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Dombrowski-Riddle Funeral Home & Cremation Center 1939 Oberlin Ave., Lorain where the Altar Rosary Society will recite the rosary at 4:00 p.m. Prayers will be said at the funeral home Monday at 9:30 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, 418 W. 15th St., Lorain. The Reverend Fr. Robert Glepko and Reverend Fr. Gerald Keller will officiate. Interment will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Lorain. The family suggests memorial contributions in Mildred's memory to Nativity Restoration Fund. 　 Mildred's family would like to extend their appreciation to the staff of Anchor Lodge Assisted Living for the many years of care they provided to her. Our most heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Mustafa Eren for his exceptional care and concern for our mother's health and well-being throughout these years. Online condolences may be made at www.dombrowskifuneralhome.com