In loving memory of

Lillian Bokon Grzezinski
December 11, 1933 - July 3, 2017

Lillian Bokon Grzezinski passed away on July 3, 2017 after a long struggle with leukemia. She was born on December 11, 1933 in South Bend, IN to Joseph and Mary Horvath Bokon, the youngest of ten children. Lillian was reared on a farm near South Bend, IN. She graduated from South Bend Catholic High School in 1951 and went to work as a secretary at Studebaker Automobile Manufacturing. She followed in the footsteps of many of her family who worked for Studebaker, and during the Studebaker Centennial in 1952, she was named Miss Studebaker.
On June 28, 1952 she married Joseph P. Grzezinski who also worked at Studebaker Automobile Manufacturing. They were married at St. Stephen's Catholic Church in South Bend. Lillian began her life of sewing, cooking, and many crafts to create a home for her husband and their family. Their two children, Frank and Judy, preceded them in death. Lillian was a woman of abiding faith, and she often said that it was her faith that helped her through the enormous loss of their children. Lillian was also preceded in death by her siblings, Joseph, William, and Rudolph Bokon, and her sisters Mary Dominiak and Velma Sikorski.
In 1971, they moved to Indianapolis where her husband Joe accepted a new position working for American United Life. Lillian enthusiastically embraced this move and became very active in their new parish, St. Luke Catholic Church, and the broader Catholic community. She was an early participant in the Cursillo Movement in South Bend and afterward helped support the Cursillo movement in the Indianapolis area. She served on Cursillo teams many times and encouraged others to embrace the Cursillo motto:"Bring a friend to Christ." Joe and Lillian were both very active at St. Luke Catholic Church. They served as the leaders of the Engaged Couples Sponsor Program for many years and were outstanding role models for countless young couples beginning their married life together. Lillian served as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion in her parish and at St. Vincent Hospital. She was also a faithful volunteer with Little Sisters of the Poor.
Lillian's activities were not limited to her church. She was an avid bowler and swam at Hill Top with friends for many years. She also enjoyed being a member of a neighborhood Bunko group. She was a long-time Notre Dame football fan. Lillian's creativity was revealed in her crafts, and she often displayed her handiwork at craft shows in the Indianapolis area. Throughout her life, she was very proud of her Hungarian ancestry and often made Hungarian food for her friends and family. Lillian loved all of the special holidays and enjoyed a wonderful reputation for dressing with a flair for each of those occasions.
Lillian is survived by her husband Joseph, her sister Irene Ziolkowski, and many nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held at Leppert Funeral Home in Nora from 2-5 p.m. on Friday, July 7, 2017. Her Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, July 8, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. with a brief visitation before Mass from 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Luke Catholic Church, Little Sisters of the Poor, Miracle Place in Indianapolis, or to the donor's choice.

Tributes

George Johns wrote on Jul 8, 2017:

"Joe, our prayers and thoughts are with you and your family at this time of need. Lillian was a special lady. A contribution will be made to the Little Sisters in her memory as they have s special place in our hearts. Jeanne and George Johns"