Charlene Kufel's Obituary
On Saturday, October 30th Charlene Kufel, loving sister, mother and wife passed away at the age of 92. In her final weeks she was surrounded by her family including her sister, her seven children and more than two dozen of her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Charlene was born to Frank and Helen Kucia at Lorain’s St. Joseph’s Hospital on March 20th, 1929. She graduated from Lorain High School in the class of 1947 before marrying Stan Kufel on September 1st of the same year at St. Stanislaus Church. She was a loving and devoted wife to her husband Stan who passed away in 2010 after 63 years of marriage.
Charlene was a loving sister, parent, and friend to many - immersing herself in her family, church and community. She was sister to Laurette Janasko and husband Jerry. She and husband Stan were parents of Sharon Cousino of Westlake, Marsha Kufel of Palm Beach Gardens, Sandy Smith (Howard) of Vermilion, Diane Kufel of Avon Lake, Chris Morris-Kufel (Gayle) of Elyria, Kathy York (Robert) of Palm Beach Gardens and Dr. Mark Kufel of Miami. Her grandchildren include Jason, Jessie, Jenna, Jaqueline, Janelle, Justin, Jonathan, Nathan and Ian. Her great grandchildren are Rheyma, Madison, Emma, Nadia, Jack, Owen, Faith, Finn, Micah, Austin, Corrine, Aleeah, Lilly, Cadence, Grayson, Ryker and Ellie.
Charlene was preceded in death by her father Frank Sr. in 1988, her brother Frank Jr. 1989 and her mother Helen in 2005.
In the Lorain community, Charlene served on the board of elections staff as a clerk and presiding judge for many years and she was proud to be a Lifecare blood donor from 1984 until 2002.
At St. Peter’s Catholic Church on Oberlin Avenue, she volunteered for more than 25 years as a Eucharistic Minister. She also performed these duties for the ill at St. Joseph’s Community Hospital. With husband Stan, she was co-chair of the St. Peter’s parish festival for each of its first three years before moving to the cashier’s group where she served for the next two decades. She was also a founding leader for the International Festival and a founding member of the St. Francis of Assisi Mission Group.
As a member of St. Peter’s School PTO and past president of the organization she always helped where needed for all activities and fundraising efforts.
Away from these interests she had a passion for her family living nearby and away. She traveled often to Florida, California and Washington D.C. to visit children and grandchildren and accompanied her son to medical conventions in St. Johns USVI and Mexico.
She joined friends on numerous bus trips to shrines, casinos and other places of interest. Every Saturday each fall she could be found rooting on her Buckeyes and Fighting Irish football teams.
One aspect of Charlene’s life that she was most proud of was her Polish heritage. She maintained many of the cultural celebrations and traditions with her family especially around the Christmas and Easter seasons. She passed down many of these traditions including recipes and family activities.
The family will receive friends on Wednesday, November 3, 2021, from 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. in the Dovin and Reber Jones Funeral & Cremation Center, 1110 Cooper Foster Park Road, Amherst. A Rosary will be said at 7:00 p.m. following the visitation. Closing prayers will be said at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 4th. in the funeral center followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. at St. Peter Catholic Church, 3655 Oberlin Ave., Lorain, Ohio. Rev. Father Gerald Keller will officiate. Interment will follow at Calvary Cemetery, Lorain.
The family requests donations in lieu of flowers be sent to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis or Catholic Charities at the St. Elizabeth Center in Lorain serving the homeless.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.dovinreberjones.com
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