Justyna (Lopato) Szyszko, age 91

Born: Wilno, Poland, May 15, 1922. Died: Garden City, Michigan, April 8, 2014

In February 1939, at the age of 17, she married Wladyslaw Szyszko, in Sokolka, Poland. In 1941, she gave birth to a daughter, Zenobia.

In June of 1941, she was arrested with her husband by the Soviet military, and exiled to a Siberian concentration camp as laborers. She escaped in May of 1942 and fled to the Middle East – staying for brief periods in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Iran, where, in 1942, she gave birth to a son, Zygmunt, who died ten months later. From 1943 until 1947 she lived in Beirut, Lebanon, where she gave birth to a son, Janusz, in 1947.

She and her husband made their way through Palestine to Egypt, where they took a steamer across the Mediterranean Sea to England. They lived in England on a former British Air Force Base for ten years, where she gave birth to a daughter, Barbara, in 1948.

She came to the United States in 1958, settling in Detroit, Michigan, on the city's West side. In 1966 she gave birth to a son, Stefan.

For many years she was active in the local Veteran's Post (#78), and served for several years as President of the Ladies' Auxiliary.

After her husband's passing in 1990, she lived at her home in Detroit, moving to a senior apartment in 2011. While her whole family took care of her, her primary caregiver was her loving daughter, Barbara (Basia).  Proceeded in death by her beloved husband, Wladyslaw Franciszek Szyszko, and her son Zygmunt Szyszko.

Survived by four children: Zenobia Newel, Janusz (Linda), Barbara (Morgan) Price, and Stefan (Carrie) Sysko;  ten Grandchildren: Andy (Kay) Newel, Ted Newel, Ewa (Julien) Mourou, Tanya (Peter) Stevenson, Zachary (Kimberly) Shelby-Szyszko, Tamara (Robert) Howard, Adam Lawnicki, Rachel Lawnicki, Claire Sysko, Grace Sysko;  and 12 Great Grandchildren: Jason, Evan, Scott, Danielle, Matthew, Natalie, Adrian, Ben, Luke, Schroeder, Austin, Parker.

Justyna will be remembered for her strength, and her love of family. She will be deeply missed.

Visitation Friday 2-8pm with a 6:00pm Rosary at the John N. Santeiu & Son Funeral Home, 1139 Inkster (between Ford Rd. & Cherry Hill).  In state Saturday 9am followed by a 9:30am Funeral Mass at St. Dunstan Catholic Church, 1515 Belton (2 blocks west of Inkster, 2 blocks south of Ford Rd.).