Mary J. Szabo

Mary Jean Szabo died at age 91 in Arlington, Virginia on Monday after suffering a massive stroke.
Mrs. Szabo was born in Lorain on March 24, 1916 and lived in Lorain until September 2001, when she moved to Northern Virginia. She attended St. Ladislaus grade school and graduated from Lorain High in the class 1934B, where she was a member of the National Honor Society.


After graduation, she worked at Kline's department store, and then at Faroh's Candy, where she decorated Easter chocolates. She then worked at Hills' department store, first as a clerk and then as store detective, and retired from Hills' in 1977.


Mrs. Szabo was a lifelong member of St. Ladislaus Parish, and continued to follow parish activities through the parish bulletin and news from fellow parishioners after she moved to Virginia. Over the years, Mrs. Szabo served as church secretary, president of the PTU, member of the Virgin Mary Society and as an officer of St. Ann's #287 auxiliary, Hill's Retiree Group and Kolocsi Folk Dance Group. She served as a pianist for church societies and functions and was also interim organist in the 1990's. She also played piano in her husband's Tommy Taylor Orchestra.


Mrs. Szabo loved gardening, ceramics, baking and cake decorating, sewing and crocheting, and more recently made unique greeting cards of her own design. Her specialty was creating exquisite porcelain lace dolls. She also loved to travel, and visited Hungary, Ireland and France.


Mrs. Szabo remained active in church, crafts and social activities after her move to Virginia, and was recently voted "Miss Congeniality" at a senior fashion competition in Arlington.

Mrs. Szabo's husband of 47 years, Steve T. "Pete" Szabo preceded her in death in 1985, as did her parents, Steve and Terez, three infant brothers and two sisters, Helen Szabo Ferency and Stella Szabo Horvath. Mrs. Szabo is survived by her daughter Sandra Kimble of Falls Church, Virginia, son Jeffrey Szabo of Lorain, granddaughter, Julia, and sister, Elvira Szabo Mileti of Columbia City, Oregon.


The family will receive friends on Thursday, May 3, 2007 from 5-8 p.m. in the Dovin Funeral Home, 2701 Elyria Avenue, Lorain, where a rosary will be conducted by St. Ladislaus Church at 6:30 p.m. visitation will also be held on Friday from 9:30 a.m. until time of mass at 10:00 a.m. at St. Ladislaus Catholic Church, Rev. Fr. James Schmitz, pastor will officiate. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery.

Memorial contributions in her memory may be made to St. Ladislaus Church, 1412 E. 29th Street, Lorain, Ohio 44055 or to Girls & Boys Town, 234 Monsky Drive, BoysTown, NE 68010.