Georgianna "Klosinski" Lisenko

Georgianna (Klosinski) Lisenko, 90, peacefully passed away on Friday, August 8, 2025 in her beloved home of five decades.

Georgie was born to Stanley and Helena Klosinski in South Bend. She married Bob Lisenko, the love of her life and high school sweetheart on April 30 1960. They were together for more than 63 years prior to his passing in November 2023. Along with her parents, Georgie is preceded in death by her brother Gerry Klosinski.

She is survived by two children, Rob Lisenko of South Bend, and Leann Price (and her husband Davis Price) of Mishawaka: granddaughter, Nicole Price, and a great-granddaughter, Makenzie. and nieces and nephews, Denise Johnson, Gregg Klosinski, and Thomas Klosinski.

She graduated from Washington High School in 1953 and worked in a dental office before working with children at First English Lutheran Nursery School as an art teacher. This role was a perfect fit because of her endless empathy, kindness and selflessness. She started in 1981 as the schedule allowed her to be home by the time her son returned from school. She then retired in 2001 so that she could devote herself to babysitting her newborn granddaughter. All her life's decisions put the needs of others before her own and to makes sacrifices for the good of all. She would not speak kindly to anyone but then complain about them later in private. Many people are kind or sweet, but too few are so authentically that to their core when no one is looking. She was exactly that person to everyone – loving and understanding. She believed part of her Catholic faith was to show compassion and love to everyone she met, and to do absolutely everything in her power to help her family.

Her unrelenting example of love and sacrifice was reflected back to her after she succumbed to dementia in 2018. Her children lived with her and cared for her for her last seven years. Although she never wanted to be a burden for anyone, she also held herself to a standard for sacrificing for the good of others, and that meant they couldn't imagine turning over her care to strangers in a facility. All their care and attention were a pale facsimile of what Georgie would have done for them.

She became bedridden and entered hospice in 2021 where countless doctors believed she would pass at any time, however she lived another four years as her heart was literally and figuratively so strong.

Georgie's innocence and pure spirit came out when she was with small children. She always treasured giving the nursery school children an encouraging word or a warm hug. Seeing any of her former students years later always made her day and she was always happy to hear the accomplishments of each of them.

She will always be remembered for a sweet smile and being a wonderful listener, generous with her time and talking for hours to friends and family about whatever topics interested them, because as with everything Georgianna Lisenko did, it came from a place of trying to make everyone around her happier.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Tuesday, August 19, 2025 at 1:00 pm the Cathedral of St. Matthew, 1701 Miami St, South Bend with a visitation to begin at 12:00 pm at church. Burial will immediately follow at St. Joseph Cemetery.

Donations in honor of Georgianna R. Lisenko may be made out to the Cathedral of St. Matthew, 1701 Miami St., South Bend, IN 46613

Online condolences for the family may be left at sjfh.net