Elizabeth "Betty" (Kolenic) Szabo

Elizabeth "Betty" Kolenic Szabo, 97, passed away on Monday, December 31. Betty died peacefully at Vista Springs Quail Highlands Assisted Living Facility in Concord, Ohio with family. Betty was born on June 14, 1921 in Cleveland and lived in Painesville since 1946. She was a 62-year member of St. Mary's Church in Painesville where she was a Lector from 2001-2010, a 38-year Life Member, past Treasurer and Representative of the Holy Name Society, and was its "1998 Woman of the Year". She also belonged to the Church's Marian Club since 1988, was a past Treasurer for the club and took many trips with the group. Over the years Betty donated money for several objects for the Church and Church property.  She also was a member of the Painesville City Schools PTA and served as a Team Mother for her sons' Painesville Little League Team.

Betty worked at the Lake County Treasurer's Office for 20 years, retiring in 1986. Afterwards, she was a member of the Lake County Retirees, serving as President from 1992-1993. Betty was recognized numerous times for her volunteer efforts, especially for her 13,000+ hours volunteering at the Painesville Senior Center Nutrition Site (now part of the Lake Country Council on Aging (LCCOA)), spending 20 hours a week manning the lunch Reservation Book, helping prepare for lunch, and helping to pack 70-80 meals a day for their Meals on Wheels program. She was known there for her friendly personality, daily jokes, and working on puzzles. In February 1997, Betty was featured on Channel 30's "Painesville People Making a Difference Spotlight", and on May 11, 2013 she was featured on the front page of the News Herald's in a Mother's Day article entitled "One Mother's Story". Betty was the Lake County Council on Aging's "1993 Outstanding Volunteer", received a their "Quality Service Award" in 2002, and earned a 30-Year Volunteer Service Award as part of the LCCOA's "Retired Senior Volunteer Program" (RSVP) in 2017. She was inducted into the "Lake County Senior Citizens' Hall of Fame" in 2003.

Betty was preceded in death by Julius, her husband of 41 years; youngest son, David, of Las Vegas; son-in-law, Joseph Maruschak, of Perry, Ohio; her parents, John and Mary (Filip) Kolenic, of Cleveland; her sister and brother-in-law, Mary and Joseph Yavorsky; Her brother and sister-in-law, Matthew and Irene Kolenic; and niece and nephew-in-law, Jean and Kenneth Kraemer. She is survived by her six children: Elizabeth "Liz" (Marshall) Hill of Perry, Ohio; Julius (Diana) of New Philadelphia, Ohio; Donald (Stephanie) of Mentor, Ohio; Rosemarie (Joseph - deceased) of Perry, Ohio; Dennis (Lorraine) of Mentor, Ohio; Robert (Mary) of Painesville, Ohio; and daughter-in-law, Mary (David - deceased) of Rancho Cordova, California; her 20 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren, and 4 great-great grandchildren.

Calling hours are at Spear-Mulqueeny Funeral Home, 667 Mentor Avenue, Painesville from 2-4 (rosary at 3:30 PM) and 6-8 on Tuesday, January 8th. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Mary's Church, 242 N. State St., Painesville on Wednesday, January 9th, at 10:30 AM.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in her name may be made to St. Mary's Church, Catholic Charities of Cleveland, or Channel EWTN, a Catholic Mass/Programs Channel.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Elizabeth "Betty" (Kolenic) Szabo, please visit our floral store.