Helen Lucy Mazur

Helen Mazur, age 78, passed away on August 22, 2026 in Mount Dora, Florida. She is survived by her spouse, Zbigniew “Jeff”; children, Sarah (Dillon) Blair, David (Ashley) Mazur, and Magda (Tomek) Pawlik; and grandchildren Oskar, Sebastian, Peter, Christian, Dorian, Zuzu, Bruno, Everly, and Preston; siblings Casimira (late Raymond) Bilinski, Josephine Palusiak, Ursula (Stefan) Yanef and many nieces and nephews.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents Waclaw Palusiak and Pelagia Palusiak (nee Jankowska); siblings: Joanna, Czeslawa and Wojciech Palusiak, Anna (surviving husband Boguslaw), Maria (surviving husband Jan) Kaczmarek, Lucy (late George) Morikis, Roman (surviving wife Maritza) Palusiak and Chester Palusiak.

Helen was born on February 22, 1948, in Siedlimowo, Poland. As the third eldest of the surviving 13 children, she was known as a prankster, but she also diligently helped her family through the hard times.

In December of 1959, Helen, age 11, and her family immigrated to the United States, where she worked cleaning floors for nuns at the Catholic school she attended and maintaining perfect grades while she did so. She became a beautician and was successful enough to purchase her own home at age 27, even though she had to write “spinster” after her name on the paperwork to obtain the home loan. She took care of her parents and siblings throughout her young life and continued to care for her sisters and brothers throughout their lives.

While Helen was still in the years of taking care of her family, one early April evening, she went to a Polish club in Chicago for a dance and it was there that she met Zbigniew – whom she later baptized as Jeff. They were married the following year, February 2nd, 1985. The following February, on a First Anniversary Valentine’s Day vacation to Mount Dora, they both fell in love with Florida. At Jeff’s urging, they spontaneously went out to look at homes in the area and, before the vacation was over, had put a deposit down on a home. It was only three short months until they had made arrangements to officially move their growing family (as Helen was now pregnant with their oldest child, Sarah) from Chicago to Mount Dora. Within another few (albeit “tough”) months, Jeff had secured work as a painter and supported their young family through its early years. While Jeff worked, Helen stayed home with the kids, Sarah and David, but was an invaluable teammate to Jeff as his constant supporter, bookkeeper, advisor, dictionary, English teacher, and translator. Once the children were in high school, Helen officially went back to work as a beautician in the industry she had started in. From there, Jeff and Helen began to also invest in buying properties, putting in overtime to clean, remodel, and rent out homes. In 2015, they achieved their dream of purchasing a 100 acre property in Tennessee to enjoy hunting trips and vacations as a family.

Helen was known to all as the Pierogi Queen making thousands in only a few short days. Helen fed everyone around her to show how much she cared for them. She would give you the shirt off her back if you needed it and cared endlessly for those in need in so many different ways. Helen continuously showed her love and support to her children and even more so to her grandchildren. Every time someone was surprised by her age, since she looked so much younger, she always told them that her grandchildren kept her young. She was the epitome of goodness.

The last 2 years of her life were spent battling cancer, which she fought bravely. Helen never gave up and was a firecracker to the very end.

Friends are invited to visit with Helen’s family on Sunday, September 6th from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Harden-Pauli Funeral Home, 1617 S Bay St. Eustis, FL 32726. A Mass of Catholic Burial will be held for Helen on Monday, September 7th at 10:00 AM at St. Mary of the Lakes Catholic Church, 218 Ocklawaha, Eustis, FL 32726. Following Mass, Helen will be buried in Pine Forest Cemetery in Mount Dora, FL following the church ceremony.

Flowers are appreciated and if you choose to send them in remembrance of Helen, please support Claudia's at https://www.claudiaspearlflorist.com

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to The Citrus County Abuse Shelter Association at https://casafl.org/