Joan Augustyniak

Throughout her long and fruitful life, Joan Augustyniak greatly enriched her days through her many passions, but there was nothing more near and dear to her heart than the family she loved more than life itself. She embraced both the great joys and the deep sorrows along her life’s journey while facing every challenge that came her way with a graceful courage that provides us all with much to aspire for. With a steadfast faith as her constant companion, Joan looked to her beliefs to guide her every thought, word, and deed, while exemplifying what it truly means to be a woman after God’s own heart. The brilliant tapestry of memories she leaves behind will be a lasting treasure for generations to come.

It was an exciting time to be an American during the decade that is often referred to as the Roaring Twenties as the end of WWI in 1919 ushered in times of great prosperity while the world recognized us as a world leader. This decade took us soaring above the clouds with Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindbergh while motion pictures became available in both color and sound, and modern conveniences like the washing machine and the refrigerator changed the way we lived our daily lives. Nestled within this colorful time was the year 1927 that brought great joy to one young couple from Toledo, Ohio, as they were blessed with the birth of a healthy baby girl on November 3rd. Baby Joan was one of three children born to her parents, Joseph and Rose (Blochowski) Rochowiak, and was raised in the family home alongside her brothers, Joseph and Norman. Her father worked as a police officer in Detroit while her mother was a busy homemaker who also did some cleaning and ironing for people as she was able. The Rochowiak family was dealt a devastating blow with the death of Joan’s father when she was just ten years old. As a young girl Joan attended local schools through the ninth grade.

Life was forever changed for Joan when she met the young man with whom she would write an eloquent love story that would span 65 years. His name was Florian Augustyniak, and love began to blossom between them almost right away. Over time Joan was confident that Florian was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, so she gave him the ultimatum, “Marry me by February or nothing at all!” That was a fateful night in their relationship that took place at her uncle’s place, Frank’s Tavern, as they were engaged six months later. Joan was thrilled to marry her sweetheart on February 8, 1947, on a day with temperatures that came in at two degrees below zero. Despite several cars that wouldn’t start that day and heavy snow, the bride and groom couldn’t have been happier to begin a new chapter in their lives together.

Together the couple welcomed four children into their hearts and home: Roselyn, Mel, Elaine, and Ann. There was nothing Joan loved more than being a mother, although she just may have argued that becoming a grandmother and great-grandmother later in life was her greatest reward. There was nothing that she loved more than being surrounded by her loved ones including her extended family members at their many get togethers through the years. The times Joan and her family spent at a cottage on Clark Lake were experiences that everyone always looked forward to as well, and these gatherings set the backdrop for memories that were among some of Joan’s favorites.

Over the years Joan was a woman of many interests. She had a special place in her heart for dogs and felt that every dog was to be a lap dog. Joan’s German Shepherd/Chow mutt named Jake was among her most treasured companions. She enjoyed visiting casinos in Detroit and also liked to play bingo, but she was quite competitive, too, as she was known to get angry when she lost. Joan was a charter member of the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary Post #642 for 63 years, and also of St. Charles Borromeo Church for 56 years. Shopping was another favorite activity, and so was having a quiet day or evening at home with her husband watching the Detroit Tigers. During her younger years Joan liked Loma Linda’s margaritas and during her later years it was O’Doul’s non-alcoholic beer. When it came to her musical interests, she was a huge fan of Vince Gill.

With a life that spanned times of war and times of peace, times of plenty and times of want, Joan Augustyniak touched the lives of so many within her reach in a significant way. She fully embraced whatever came her way while holding her family and friends close to her heart. Joan was a fighter, even compared to a cat with nine lives, and she could be strong willed when it came to matters she was passionate about yet there was nothing that was more prevalent than her unconditional love. Life will never be the same without Joan here, but her timeless legacy will live on through the generations who follow her.

Joan M. Augustyniak of Toledo died on March 13, 2012. Joan’s family includes her husband,Florian; children, Roselyn Kopaniasz, Mel (Kathy) Augustyniak, Elaine (Dave) Neitzel, and Ann (Frank) Dailey; grandchildren, Bob (Jill), A.J. (Cara), Bryon Augustyniak; Steve (Renee) Kopaniasz, Phil (Stephanie) Neitzel and Jillian (Sean) Jones; step-grandchildren, Josh (Terri) and Heather Zeigler; 12 great-grandchildren; 2 step-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Joan was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Joseph and Norman Rochowiak; daughter-in-law, Sue Augustyniak; and stepfather, Raymond Proudfoot. Family and friends may visit at the Coyle Funeral Home, 1770 S. Reynolds Rd., on Friday from 2-8 p.m. where a Scripture Service will be recited at 7 p.m. and an American Legion Ladies Auxiliary prayer service will immediately follow. Funeral services will be held on Saturday beginning at 9:15 a.m., in the mortuary, followed by a Funeral Mass at St. Charles Borromeo Church at 10 a.m. Interment Resurrection Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to St. Charles Borromeo Church, Odyssey Hospice, or to Spring Meadows Extended Care Facility. Please visit www.coylefuneralhome.com to leave a memory or sign the online guestbook.