Obituary of Mary M. Struzynski

Mary M. Struzynski, age 86, of Tiffin, died Sunday, December 12, 2021, at The Bird House, Hospice Home of Johnson County, with her daughters by her side. Funeral services will be held at 10 am Thursday, December 16, 2021, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Oxford with burial to follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery near Oxford. Visitation will be on Wednesday from 4 to 7 pm and at 9 am on Thursday at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Mary’s memory to St. Mary Catholic Church of Oxford or The Bird House, Hospice Home of Johnson County. To share a thought, memory or condolence, please visit the Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service website @ www.gayandciha.com. Mary Margaret Ernst was born April 18, 1935, on the family farm near Urbana, Iowa. She was the daughter of Leo and Margaret (Kleitsch) Ernst. She attended country school, graduating from Coggon High School in 1953, then worked in Cedar Rapids at the assessor’s office and Quaker Oats. On April 25, 1957 she was united in marriage to Ivan J. Struzynski at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids. Mary and Ivan first met at Danceland Ballroom in Cedar Rapids which led to over fifty years of not only dancing, but a true love story. The couple raised crops and livestock on their farm between North Liberty and Oxford. After their girls were well on their way in school, Mary began working outside the home, first at ACT, then a long career at the University of Iowa. Mary’s family and her faith came first in her world, but she also enjoyed many other blessings in her life throughout the years. She was an active member of St. Mary Catholic Church in Oxford and the Birthday Club and enjoyed playing cards. Mary was also very talented when it came to sewing, cooking, baking, tending to her garden and feeding the birds. She was very interested in history and genealogy and loved to travel. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were blessings in her eyes as she was in theirs. Grandma Mary enjoyed attending many of their activities over the years. Her family includes her two daughters, Vicki Struzynski-Olson (Jim) and Kathy Kral; grandchildren, Jonathan “J.J.” Olson, Brandon Olson (Emily), Anthony Olson (Lilly), Anastasia Whited (Dustin), Miranda Kral, and Ashley Beer (Josh); great-grandchildren, Lelaina Olson, Alexandra Olson, Bella Olson, Cole Whited, Liam Olson, Clayton Olson, and Paige Olson; Mary’s siblings, Eileen Wayson and Earl Ernst (JoAnne), and brother-in-law, Ron Franklin (Lois). Mary was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Ivan; siblings, Joe Ernst and Carol Franklin; and in-laws, Lambert and Alice Struzynski and Dean Wayson. The family would like to thank the staff at The Bird House and Iowa City Hospice for their compassionate care of Mary.