Rebecca Merriam Szozda

1952 - 2025

Rebecca Merriam (Roppe) Szozda

May 8, 1952 - February 13, 2025

Becky Szozda, 72, passed away on Thursday, February 13, 2025.

Becky was a 1970 graduate of Whitmer High School and a 1973 graduate of The Toledo Hospital School of Nursing. Becky worked 38 years for ProMedica, Northwest Ohio's largest health care provider. She dedicated her career to working in the most challenging nursing units-recovery room, surgery, intensive care, and neuro-intensive care, where she was a manager.

While she faced these challenges she raised three children, and found time to go back to college. She graduated, at age 39, with a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Toledo.

Before launching her career, Becky led an adventurous life. She went snorkeling, deep-sea fishing, sky-diving and flew a glider. She, and her husband John, took a three-month, 9,000-mile road trip around the United States and Canada. Becky climbed Cadillac Mountain, the highest mountain on the Eastern Seaboard, and hiked trails through Glacier, Banff, Jasper, Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks. She followed her passion for road trips throughout her life traveling many times to many states including Florida and Colorado.

Becky and her sister, Carol, spent many summers vacationing in northern Wisconsin where her mother and father were born.

Becky was an avid fisher and was awarded a Fish Ohio for her 28-inch trophy walleye. She also caught a 12.5-inch, one pound bluegill.

Most recently, as an amateur genealogist, Becky helped others find joy in developing their family trees. Her highlight was helping an adoptee discover his biological relatives.

Becky was also a season ticket holder for the University of Toledo women's basketball team and an avid fan of the Detroit Red Wings, Lions and Tigers.

The newest joy in her life was being blessed with eight grand-children ages five months to 10. They affectionately called her "Dobby". She thrilled them by taking them shopping and hiking at the park. She made each of them feel like they were the most important person in her life.

Becky is survived by her husband, John; children, Adrian, Jordan (Kaitlin), and Stephanie (Mike) Wade. As well as their grandchildren, Callen, Ellison, Alden, Wynn; Hudson, Addison, Isabelle and Penelope.

She is also survived by her Szozda family--Jeri (Rick) deGroff; Kathy (Jim) Koenigseker; Frank (Darla) Szozda; Tim (Lila) Szozda; Chris (Rick) Amstel and Lisa (Tony) Santos.

Also by her brother, Douglas Roppe; sister, Carol (Terry) Roach; niece, Bianca (Fahner); nephews, Joe, Pete, Nick and Rowan.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Orville and Winnifred Roppe; and nephew, Harrison Fahner.

Visitation will be held at Sujkowski-Walker Funeral Home, 830 Lime City Road, Rossford, Ohio, on Saturday February 22, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. with a eulogy at 1:30 p.m. Interment will be private.

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