Joan P. Zielinski

Joan P. Zieinski (Kozlowski), 88 of Dunkirk, NY, died Tuesday May 7, 2019 at home, surrounded by her loving family.

She was born March 26, 1931 in Dunkirk, the daughter of the late Ignatius and Lenta (Pieszak) Kozlowski.

Joan’s family relocated several times during her childhood due to her father’s work with the railroad. She graduated from Brocton High School in 1949. From her youth, Joan had a flair for drawing and painting, music and craftwork. Her early artwork was featured throughout her high school’s yearbook. She shared her musical talents with the congregation at St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church in Brocton, serving as its lead organist. An avid crafter, her hobby culminated as a craft class instructor at the Dunkirk Senior Center.

Joan married her husband Robert in 1954. Together they had four children. She was a devoted wife and loving mother who dedicatedherself to her family. She was a homemaker and she loved to garden and bake. She was a sports enthusiast, attending her children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events throughout the years. Once her youngest child was of school age, Joan reentered the workforce eventually retiring from secretarial work after 25 years with the JohnHancock Insurance Agency. Joan sought community involvement besides her work at the Senior Center. She was an active member of her church’s Rosary and Ladies Societies. She enjoyed the camaraderie of a good card party. She served at local political polling stations for many years. Joan took pride in her home and always made the holidays special for her family. Over the years she enjoyed league bowling, painting classes, sewing clothes and craftwork. She loved playing cards and working crossword and word search puzzles.

She was a long timemember of the St. Hedwig’s church choir and spent many volunteer hours assisting at parish functions and bingo operations. She loved participating in her grandchildren and great-grandson’s lives from childhood through theiradult lives. She left an indelible mark on all of them.

Surviving are her four children, eight grandchildren and one great grandson: Kathryn (James) Ziemba of Arkwright, David Zielinski of Sheridan, Diane (Kevin) Fuhrman ofHaughton, LA and Ellen (Thomas) Dempsey of Forestville. Grandchildren include Jeremy Brumfield,Julie (Phillip) Lawrie, Jessica (Christopher) Zielinski-Meffert, Zachary and Benjamin Fuhrman, Robert, Bryan and Christopher Dempsey and great grandson Lucas Lawrie. Preceeded in death by her parents, husbandRobert and daughter-in-law Sherri Zielinski.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to St. Jude Children’sResearch Hospital P.O. Box 50 Memphis, TN 38101-9929.

Relatives and friends can call Friday from 2-4 and 7-9p.m. at the R. Mackowiak Funeral Home Inc., 56 East Doughty Street in Dunkirk. Funeral services will beheld Saturday morning at 10 a.m. in Blessed Mary Angela R.C. ParishChurch of St. Hedwig. Interment will be in St. Hedwig’sCemetery.