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Obituary of Mary Ellen Zagacki
Mary Ellen (Parks, Singer) Zagacki, 75, passed away in St Petersburg FL surrounded by family after a courageous battle with cancer on July 23.
Mary worked as a hairdresser at Lady Fair Beauty Salon, Kay’s Little Corner and London Hair. She then decided to make a career change and started as a bus driver and then a field trip coordinator with Pinellas County School Board. She retired in 2019.
Mary was an amazing daughter, wife, sister, mother, grandmother and friend. She held family close together. When the grand babies were little she would have them at her house most weekends for pool parties. She would have snacks, popsicles and mock tails. She made them all feel like VIPs. She insisted on hosting all holidays at her house even when she was not feeling up to it she would power through to make memories with her family. She taught us all to love with all your heart.
Mary had many friends that she kept in touch with from high school. Shout out to the NEHI Girls of ‘65. She had so many friends she made working as a hair dresser and friends she kept close after she retired that she made in her time working with Pinellas County School Board. She had an amazing way of drawing people in with her loving nature, bigger than life personality and good home cooking.
Mary expressed to me (Jen, her daughter) that she did not want a funeral. She wanted a party, a celebration of life. She wanted us to take the time we need to process our loss. Then get all those that loved her together so we can celebrate her life and share memories of a life well lived.
She has left a great void in our family and she will be greatly missed. She was tough but fair. She defended her family like a Mama Bear. She was so much fun. She was my mom, my friend, my protector, my teacher, my cheerleader, my confidant, and so many other things to me. I will forever carry the lessons she taught me. I am grateful to have had such an amazing Mom.
Mary is survived by her husband Warren, sister Susie, children Philip, Dawn, David, Jennifer, and son in-law Jeff, grandchildren Crystal, Leann, Alysa, and Bradley, six great grandchildren, cousins, nieces, nephews, other extended family, many dear friends, and her beloved dog Foxie.
Mary touched many lives. In the near future we will have a celebration of life to honor and celebrate this beautiful lady.
After Glow
I’d like the memory of me
to be a happy one.
I’d like to leave an after glow
of smiles when life is done.
I’d like to leave an echo
whispering softly down the ways,
Of happy times and laughing times
and bright and sunny days.
I’d like the tears of those who grieve,
to dry before the sun
of happy memories
that I leave when life is done
