Obituary of Fimiya Kowalyk Chislak

Fimiya (Mia) Kowalyk Chislak, 91, of The Villages, Fla. and Nahant, Mass., died Thursday, October 17, 2013. Mia was born to the late John and Stella Kowalyk, May 13th, 1922, in Conners-ville, Ohio. Affectionately known as Mamie, she graduated from Garfield High School where she was crowned as Snow Queen. In 1945, she married the late Andrew Chislak, and they lived together in The Bronx, N.Y. as well as Parma and Akron, Ohio before relocating to South Florida in the 1970's. Following Andrew's passing in 2001, Mia began living half the year with her older son Stephen and his family in Massachusetts and with her younger son Walter and his family in Florida. Mia worked as a secretary at Goodyear Aircraft Corporation offices in the Goodyear Hangar and served as secretary to Mayor Poticny of Fairlawn. Mia was an active member of St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church in Akron and was the President of their Young Woman's Russian Club. She loved to travel, and took an extended trip to Hawaii and several cruise trips to the Caribbean, Bermuda, Canada and Nova Scotia. Throughout her life, Mia was exceptionally interested in horoscopes, and was able to entertain herself and many others with her vast knowledge. In addition to her parents and spouse, Mia was predeceased by her brothers, Andrew and Theodore as well as her sister, Lovie Kowalyk Barna. Mia is survived by her two sons, Stephen Andrew and his wife Nancy of Nahant, Mass. and Walter Jay and his wife Mary of The Villages, Fla.; her sister, Sonia Kowalyk Woitovich and her husband Theo of Long Beach, Calif.; and her brother, Steve Kowalyk and his wife Anita of Akron; she also is survived by ten grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and one more great-grandchild due in April.