Pamela Marie Kuzawa's Obituary
Pamela Kuzawa Obituary
Pamela (Pam) Kuzawa (nee Jones) died peacefully and surrounded by family, on August 31, 2024, after a battle with dementia. Pam lived both a very ordinary life and an extraordinary life, and she never once met a stranger, sharing a smile and a chat with anyone she encountered.
She was born with her twin Penny in Cleveland on November 6, 1946 to Georgia (d.1985) and Tom Jones (d.1996) both of whom were originally from Pennsylvania. She and Penny were the oldest of 5 children (deceased: Tom, Carla, and Tim) . Pam came out of the womb bruised and lifeless, but was miraculously brought back to life, her thigh bearing a lifelong indentation from where the doctors revived her. She and her twin spent two years of their childhood in a tuberculosis sanitarium, Sunny Acres, resulting in a lifelong long dislike of anything grape-flavored. Their mom Georgia joined them at the sanitarium for about a year. This rough beginning to life molded her into a strong woman who was quick to find the joy in life but was also no nonsense and didn't take anyone's crap (as she would say). Though she was maybe 5'1" at her tallest and under 5 feet at the end, doctors have mistakenly indicated she was 5'2.99" to 5'10", which we think simply reflects her larger-than-life presence and the way she could stop someone in their tracks with just a look.
She was a teenage bride-dropping out during her freshman year of high school and marrying Bob Kuzawa on January 23, 1962. They soon moved to Garfield Heights, where they raised two boys (Rob, b. 1963 and David, b. 1966) and then a girl (Deb, b. 1979), once the boys were teenagers. She noted that she went from being the youngest mom with her sons to the oldest with her daughter. She was passionately proud and protective of her children and children's friends, becoming an extra mom to many (sometimes going by Mama Pam but usually just Mrs. K). She was a hockey mom, a baseball and softball mom, a figure skater mom, a band mom, a fun mom, a no-nonsense, but 110% love mom.
Pam and Bob had a long, complex marriage, but each one consistently showed their love and commitment to each other in ways small and large, even when they were complaining about each other. Bob took care of Pam as her Alzheimer's advanced, stepping up and becoming a well-versed cook, taking care to play music she enjoyed, and driving the scenic route places so she could enjoy the trees and parks, and drawing upon a well of patience no one knew he had, including himself. The love and commitment they shared became more obvious once her dementia advanced. Pam was happiest when she knew exactly where Bob was, and he was happiest when she was happy and smiling.
Smiling came naturally to Pam. She was quick to laugh-her laugh was like no other, whether it was a nervous giggle or a full-on belly laugh. She was quick to tell you her opinion, whether you wanted it or not (and more often than not, she was right). She was also just as quick to ask your opinion, quick to love, quick to accept. However, she could read people uncannily, so lying to her was generally pointless, and when she said she didn't like someone, you had better listen because eventually something would happen that would prove her right about that person.
Perhaps she honed her people reading skills over her years working in many areas. She worked in many professions over the years: homemaker, baby sitter, house cleaner, bakery worker, waitress, kitchen staff at a bar, race track, and more. She sold one house as a realtor, but decided it wasn't the right thing for her. The job she truly loved, other than being a mother and grandmother, was working at Woodward Beverage and Deli for over 20 years, head bobbing just above the deli counter, smile wide for every customer. She loved people and making them smile-and giving them a hard time if she thought they deserved it, especially family.
In her children and grandchildren, she tried to instill a love of reading and a love of the world. By example, she encouraged them to find beauty and wonder in the most ordinary, mundane places, like taking a moment to appreciate a beautiful sunset and what might seem like ordinary clouds, a unique leaf, a tiny flower surrounded by concrete, to exclaim it, "absolutely beautiful" and "so nice." She encouraged giving compliments freely, to both family and strangers alike. She tended to compliment people's "fun" shoes and clothes, but really, she was drawn to people's smiles and their energies-and especially drawn to dogs. If there was a dog in the vicinity, you can bet that she would soon be rubbing its head and speaking sweetly to it and its human.
She was proud of her friends' and family's accomplishments and never hesitated to tell others. She was fiercely proud of her father, brother, and nephew's military service, stopping every person with a veteran's hat or shirt to thank them for their service. For her entire life, she loved parades of all kinds and loved fairs and festivals-anywhere people were gathered together to celebrate and have fun, she was interested. She loved animals, such as those that visited her yard such as cardinals, squirrels, and chipmunks, and she especially loved dogs-all dogs, no matter their size.
She is mourned by her husband Bob, her twin sister Penny, her sons Rob and David, her daughter Debbie, her daughter-in-laws Laura, Jennifer, and Kim (she said she won the daughter-in-law lottery to have such amazing ones); her grandchildren Kristin (Scott), Maizy (Brian), and Aaron (Charlie), great grandchildren Marissa, Dena, SJ, and Luke, and by her many nieces, nephews, great-nieces/nephews, and by her friends. She was a force of nature. Anyone who knew Pam will miss her vibrancy and love and of course her laugh.
Family and friends may call at GOLUBSKI DELIBERATO FUNERAL HOME, 4747 TURNEY RD., CORNER OF GARFIELD BLVD., FOR VISITATION ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2024 FROM 3-7PM, followed by a closing service at 7pm. The family requests that you wear your most "fun" clothes-bright, floral, prints, and so on, and your favorite funky shoes to honor Pam's love of color. A larger celebration of life will happen at a later date, likely in the spring. Donations to the Alzheimer's Association or the Cuyahoga Country Animal Shelter in Valley View may be made in Pam's honor or flowers may be sent to the funeral home.
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