Our family is saddened to announce the passing of our dear mother, Florence Marie Zagata, on April 8, 2021, at the age of 93. We are thankful to Hospice of Michigan and to God for helping us through this difficult time.
Flo was born January 17, 1928, in Hamtramck, MI, to Wanda and Michael Kostanecki.
Flo met the love of her life, Edward, at a church dance, and agreed to marry him on September 2, 1950. They spent nearly sixty-two years living in their first and only home in St. Clair Shores, MI, where they raised their family. Flo and Ed loved spending time at their up-north retreat on the banks of the Sturgeon River in Wolverine.
In her early days, Flo worked a variety of jobs, including at the Mercury Plastics Plant in Detroit. She left the outside workforce for several years to raise her family, and act as the Bookkeeper and CEO of Zagata Furniture Service. After closing the furniture shop, she found employment at Henry’s Cleaners in St. Clair Shores.
Flo was a generous soul, who always put others before herself. She loved her family and would often send cards and gifts to loved ones for no other reason other than that she was thinking of them. She was always quick with a joke, and laughed easily. Flo loved reading, games, jigsaw puzzles, and baking. She was even known to send boxes of cookies and her famous gobs to her children and grandchildren. She was a whiz with traditional Polish cooking including pierogi, galapke, and city chicken.
Flo moved to Manton, MI, in 2018, where she resided with her son Paul and daughter-in-law, Mary Kay. She loved to sit on the deck for hours to watch the birds, to read, or to talk on the phone with one of her many relatives or friends.
She was a parishioner at St. Joan of Arc church in St. Clair Shores for more than sixty years, before joining the community of St. Aloysius church in Fife Lake.
Florence was preceded in death by her parents, Wanda and Michael Kostanecki, her husband, Edward, sisters Delphine Spryzak, and Sylvia Johnson, two special sisters-in-law, Mary Stefko and Helen Kostanecki, and her grandson, Duane Nichols.
She is survived by her brother, Marvin Kostanecki, of Kimball, MI, her sons, Robert (Cindy) Zagata of Warren, MI, Randall (Melanie) Zagata of Eastpointe, MI, Richard (Michele) Zagata of Largo, FL, Paul (Mary Kay) Zagata of Manton, MI, eleven grandchildren, seventeen great grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild, and many nieces, nephews, and other family members.
A visitation will be held at Kaul Funeral Home, 28433 Jefferson Avenue, St. Clair Shores, on Thursday, April 15, from 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. A funeral mass will be celebrated at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 22412 Overlake St, St. Clair Shores, at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, April 16. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, masks and social distancing guidelines will be followed.
In lieu of flowers or plants, please consider making a donation to the Capuchin Soup Kitchen or Hospice of Michigan.
