Violet M. Hudzik 1928-2024

Violet was born May 30, 1928, in Campbell, the middle child of Thomas and Anna Justine Rugole Zlatich, who had emigrated from Bolfan, Croatia, years before. When she was 8 years old, the family bought a house at 114 Prospect St. and moved to Struthers, where the children grew up. She was a proud graduate of Struthers High School, Class of 1946, and served on every reunion committee, becoming the class historian.

After graduation, Violet was employed at the Prudential Insurance Company, where she made lifelong friends.

On April 19, 1952, she became the beautiful bride of her handsome Thomas Joseph “Tim” Hudzik at St. Nicholas Church, where they were married by Father Robert Fannon. They soon built their home at 367 Creed St., where they raised their three children. After their children grew up, they moved to Poland.

She was a loving, devoted mother, referring to each of her children as her favorite. She was proud of her son’s carpentry skills, telling the doctors at St. Elizabeth Boardman, “My son built this hospital.” She and her husband were active in their children’s school lives, attending lessons, practices and games when their daughters were majorettes.

A lover of adventure, she planned annual family vacations all over the U.S. and traveled to three continents. In 1983, she took a special trip to Croatia with her daughter, where they were reunited with and entertained by the Croatian family her parents had left 70 years earlier. In her 70s, she spent months in Phoenix enjoying the company of old and new friends.

A year after the death of her husband on Oct. 17, 1989, her children encouraged Violet to return to dancing. Dancing was her lifelong passion, beginning with dancing with her sister to their father’s violin music, culminating in winning jitterbug, slow piece and polka contests. She believed “you paint a picture with your graceful movements.”

Loyalty and memories were of the utmost importance to Violet. She maintained lifelong friendships with friends from kindergarten, with her pen pal, Madge Lozich, with whom she began corresponding at age 12, and her Prudential office mates. She was the consummate storyteller, since her memory not only recalled with pinpoint accuracy dates, people and events from her earliest years, but also placed her back at that time to experience the feelings and emotions of the past. She loved beauty, whether in nature, people or big band and Latin music.

She was beautiful, inside and out. Devoted to her family, she cared for her mother, then her husband and, finally, her sister Beatrice and brother Joey in their last years so that they could pass away at home. She was meticulous about her appearance and modeled locally into her 60s. She led a full and interesting life.

Violet felt God’s presence in her life. She was a devout Catholic who prayed a daily rosary ever since belonging to the Fatima Club at St. Nicholas Church as a young woman. When she became a mother and grandmother, these prayers were offered for her children and grandchildren. She volunteered at Our Lady of Lebanon Shrine Gift Shop until her last days.

She leaves her loving and devoted children, Beth Ann (Thomas) Moran, Thomas (Cheryl) Hudzik and Janice Nemick; her beloved grandchildren, Stephanie Hudzik, Melissa Hudzik, Ashley (Michael) Wilfong, Nicholas Nemick (fiancee Mollie Donnelly), Taylor Nemick and Jarrett Nemick; and stepgrandchildren, Luke Wellman, Jakeb Fry and Kaitlin Moran. She leaves dear nieces and nephews, especially Mary Ann Hudzik, who dearly loved Mom and her stories. Also very close to Mom are special friends who she considered family, Angie and Tim Denmeade, and their daughters, Emily, Eliza and Olivia of South Carolina, and Julie and Matt Lozich, and their daughter, Ann of Chicago.

Violet’s children want to express their love and gratitude to Violet’s son-in-law, Tom Moran, for the loving kindness he showed to Mom during the eight years she lived with him and Beth Ann.

Family and friends may pay their respects to Violet from 10 to 10:50 a.m. Tuesday morning, Oct. 1, 2024, with a Divine Liturgy at 11 a.m., all at the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon, 2759 N. Lipkey Road, North Jackson, with the Most Rev. Chorbishop Anthony Spinosa as officiant.

Burial will take place in Lake Park Cemetery in Youngstown.

The family respectfully suggests that memorials be in the form of Masses to be prayed for the repose of Violet’s soul and sent to Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon, 2759 N. Lipkey Road, North Jackson, OH 44451.

Arrangements are entrusted to the Rossi and Santucci Funeral Home, 4221 Market St., Boardman. Family and friends may visit www.rossisantuccifh.com to view this obituary and send condolences to Violet’s family.

Violet’s favorite quote was “Winter must be cold for those with no warm memories.” Thank you, Mom, for the memories you made with us that we will forever cherish.

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