Angeline Voytko, 85, 1988 Slovenian Woman Of The Year
Angeline Voytko (nee Kozjan), age 85, of Lorain, died Friday June 24, 2005 at the New Life Hospice Center of Saint Joseph following an extended illness. Mrs. Voytko was born in Lorain on March 4, 1920 and had been a life-long resident of the city.
She attended Ss. Cyril & Methodius Parochial School and was a graduate of Lorain High School as a member of the Class of 1938-B. She later graduated from the Lorain School of Cosmetology.
For more than forty years she served as the proprietor of Angie’s Beauty Salon.
Mrs. Voytko was a parishioner of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Lorain where she was a member of the Altar & Rosary Society.
Angie is probably most well known for her work in perpetuating Slovenian culture throughout greater Lorain. Since 1978 she had been involved with the Slovenian Heritage Association where she was responsible for the organization and training of Slovenian Folk Dancers ranging in age from six to adolescence. Under her tutelage, this group performed annually at the Lorain International Festival as well as numerous other events and parades throughout northern Ohio.
She crafted countless Slovenian Folk costumes which were worn by contestants in the Lorain International Princess Pageant and, since 1980, was also responsible for developing the themes and designs of the floats used by the Slovenian Community in the annual International Festival Parades. She also had crafted miniature ornaments that adorned the ethnic Christmas Tree displays which used to be exhibited at the former Midway Mall shopping complex. The compilation of these involvements earned her the title of 1988 Slovenian Woman of the Year at ceremonies conducted in March of that year.
She had also served as a delegate to the Slovenian Women’s Union conventions in 1983 and 1987 as well as the A.M.L.A. convention in 1986.
She was enrolled at birth in the Jutra na Zarja Lodge # 46 of the A.M.L.A. and later transferred to the Buckeye Lodge # 60 where she served as auditor and secretary-treasurer. She was also a member and former auditor of Ss. Cyril & Methodius Lodge # 40, and had been a stockholder, member, and recording secretary for the Lorain Slovenian Home.
Additional memberships included the Slovak Catholic Sokols, the Ladies Auxiliary of Holy Trinity Catholic Church - Lorain, and the Ladies Auxiliary of the American Slovak Club of Lorain.
Mrs. Voytko is survived by her son Dennis residing in Vermilion; daughters Arlene Englert of Plano, Texas, Patricia Billick of Amherst Township, Georgene Campbell of Lambertville, Michigan, Nancy German of Vermilion; nine grandchildren; and eight great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband George in 1994; by her parents John and Angeline (nee Pogorelc) Kozjan; and a brother Edward in 1996.
The family will receive friends Thursday from 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. in the Gluvna-Shimo-Hromada Funeral Chapel – 3224 Broadway Avenue – Lorain, where a rosary service will be conducted at 3:00 p.m. by members and officers of the Holy Trinity Altar & Rosary Society. Funeral services will be Friday beginning at 9:00 a.m. in the funeral chapel and will be followed by the celebration of her funeral mass at 9:30 a.m. in Holy Trinity Catholic Church – 2428 Elyria Avenue – Lorain. The Reverend David A. Novak, pastor of the parish will officiate. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery – Lorain.
The family requests memorials in her name to the Community Health Partners Regional Foundation / New Life Hospice – 3700 Kolbe Road – Lorain, Ohio 44053.
Online condolences may be forwarded to the family in care of www.gluvna.net.