Mary Jean (Smetana) Svitavsky Obituary
Mary Jean Smetana Svitavsky died on February 15, 2023 at the age of 93 in Willoughby, Ohio. Her husband of 71 years, Joseph held her hand as she peacefully passed.
Known as Jean, she was born prematurely on January 30, 1930 in Racine, Wisconsin. She fit in a shoebox and slept, as a baby, in a bureau drawer. Tragedy struck when she was 7 years old as her Father, Joseph Smetana, who owned an auto garage, died when hit by a car while assisting a stranded motorist on 11/20/37. This left her widowed Mother, Anna Kaufman Smetana with four sons and four daughters. They were aided by their local Catholic church and supported by her working children. One son, Cyril, later became a priest.
Jean’s life changed when she met and then married Joseph Svitavsky. They eventually settled in Parma, Ohio where Joe had accepted a job as an elementary school teacher in Cleveland.
Jean and Joe had and raised four children. Jean worked as a secretary and waitress and Joe stocked shelves in Kroger in addition to his teaching job. They scheduled their work so that one parent was always home with their children.
Jean’s focus and life was dedicated to her family. Her skills as a homemaker were legendary: Her house was spotless, her meals delicious and she knitted, crocheted and sewed. She loved celebrations: birthdays were special with money cakes (foil wrapped coins placed in the uncooked dough before baking) and every Christmas she baked a dozen varieties of cookies.
After their children had grown and left home Jean and Joe did extensive traveling around the world. She said she read about places like the Sphinx and Pyramids, the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China in the Weekly Reader, but never expected to visit them. They went to those and many other places in Europe, South America, Central America, Asia, Australia and Africa.
Jean is survived by her husband, Joseph Svitavsky, children and their spouses Tom & Tracey Svitavsky, Jodi & Bob Geyer and Karen & Gary Sack, grandchildren and spouse, Raymond & Natalie Geyer, Ivan Sack, Jean Sack, Summer Svitavsky, Heather Svitavsky, Joey Svitavsky, and great grandchild Robert Geyer. She was preceded in death by her beloved daughter Paula Williams.
To honor the life of this good woman and wonderful mother and wife, please be kind and cherish family members and friends in special, memorable ways.
