Dorothy Tomazic, age 89, passed away peacefully on January 12, at Hospice of the Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio, surrounded by her loving family.

Born on May 16, 1936, in Cleveland, Ohio, Dorothy was a lifelong resident of Mentor, Ohio, a community she loved and called home for all her years. She was a woman of quiet strength, lifelong curiosity, and gentle generosity, and she will be fondly remembered by all who knew her.

Dorothy was a proud graduate of her beloved Ohio University and dedicated her life to education. She began her teaching career at Collinwood High School before earning her master’s degree in Elementary Education. She later taught at Huntington Elementary School, where she nurtured young minds with patience, kindness, and a genuine love for learning. Teaching was more than a profession to Dorothy—it was a calling.

Outside the classroom, Dorothy found great joy in reading and gardening. An avid reader, she was rarely without a book and often had three or four books going at once. She also loved tending to her garden and especially enjoyed visits to Pettiti’s Garden Center. A lifelong sports fan, Dorothy cheered for her favorite Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar and followed basketball star Caitlin Clark.

She was preceded in death by her father, Anton Tomazic; her mother, Sophie (nee Walland) Tomazic; and her brother, Raymond Tomazic.

Dorothy is survived by her loving nephews Raymond (Sandra) Tomazic and Anthony (Natalie) Tomazic, and her sister-in-law, Rita Nucciarone. She was a cherished great-aunt to Blaise (Hayley), Ty, Mitchell (Julianne), Ashley (Rick), Nicki (Matt), and Leah (David), and a devoted great-great aunt to Braylen, Aubrey, Fitz, Miley, and Mia, all of whom brought her immense pride and joy.

Dorothy’s gentle spirit, love of learning, and deep devotion to family, books, gardening, and sports will live on in the hearts of those who were blessed to know her.

A Memorial Mass for Dorothy will be held on Friday, May 15, 2026, at 11:00 AM at St. Gabriel Catholic Church, 9925 Johnnycake Ridge Road, Concord Township, Ohio. The mas will be live-streamed at Tomazic Memorial Mass Live-stream and available for later viewing online. 

A Celebration of Life will follow mass at 12:30 PM  on May 15th at the Redhawk Grille, 7481 Auburn Rd. Concord Twp. OH 44077.

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Dorothy Jean Tomazic, please visit our  Tree Store.

 American Cancer Society 10501 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland OH 44106 Web:   http://www.cancer.org/