Kay Frances Csizek

Kay Francis Csizek (Power), 85, of Oregon, Ohio passed away on Thursday, February 22. She was preceded in death by her husband Ted Csizek, her parents Philip and Evelyn Power, her brother Ronnie Power and step-sisters Bonnie Mars and Janice McRitchie. Kay is survived by her sister, Judi Gladish, her 5 children, Teddy, Kathy, Susan (Louis), Tommy (Lori), and Michael, her 10 grandchildren, Matt, Dustin, Mandy, Nick, Aaron, Jordan, Alex, Kayla, Anthony and Morgan, and 14 great-grandchildren.

Born in 1938, Kay was raised in East Toledo and graduated from Waite High School. Shortly after graduation she met her husband Ted. They married when she was 19 and they spent 59 years together, growing their family in Curtice and later Oregon. Together, Ted and Kay took their family on many adventures from Florida to California and many stops in between. One of their favorite memories was driving through the Rocky Mountains in a Winnebago, while Kay prayed the Rosary in the bathroom as the rather large RV inched precariously around blind turns and thousand foot cliffs. Clearly, her prayers were rewarded… as she knew they would be.

Kay’s life exemplified humanity at its best. She was the definition of selflessness, spending every Tuesday at the soup kitchen and believing it her duty to help others. Kay was stoic in nature and rarely complained; Her grit allowed her to handle whatever life threw at her, all the while harboring a genuine gratitude for her blessings and reminding her loved ones to do the same.

Despite her empathetic and caring nature, Kay would not be pushed around. She was stubborn and fiery, brave enough to speak up for injustices. She remained, throughout her life, an independent thinker who was guided by her deep moral compass, always doing what was right regardless of whether or not that was the easy thing to do.

When her children think of their mother, they remember her laughing with her bunco friends at the kitchen table, answering every Jeopardy answer correctly, and politely cheering for her grandchildren at all their sporting events. She was resourceful and crafty, making her grandchildren halloween costumes and porcelain dolls. In her free time, Kay loved to read. She was never bored as long as she had a good book.

Above all, Kay was incredibly humble. She shied away from attention and recognition –in fact, she’d probably hate reading such a saccharine salute to her (sorry grandma!), but how could we not rave about our dear Kay? Our fearless and steady matriarch. Our shining reminder that there are genuinely good-hearted people in the world, trying to make it better a place. And, if we are lucky, we get the chance to know them.

A memorial Mass will be held at Epiphany of Lord Catholic Parish St. Stephen Church, 1880 Genessee St., Toledo, OH, on Saturday, March 9, 2024. Family will greet guests starting at 10:00 a.m. Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. Kay’s family asks that any memorials be made to Epiphany of the Lord Catholic Parish St Stephen Church or the Calvin United Church Food Pantry.