Valentina Jesionek

1954 - 2021

Valentina (Val) Jesionek, 66, of Wadsworth, Ohio, passed away on Saturday, March 27, 2021 surrounded by her family. She was far too young. Val was born in July 1954 to Peter and Antonina Kulyk in Akron, Ohio. She was the only one of her family born in the United States, as her parents came from the Ukraine. She graduated from Our Lady of the Elms High School in 1972 and then received her bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Akron. She married Don Jesionek in September 1978. She was a classically-trained pianist and participated in the collegiate choir. She was fluent in Ukrainian and English. Val loved athletics; she coached high school gymnastics and enjoyed volleyball, bowling, figure skating, and armchair quarterbacking the Buckeyes. She served as the Planning and Zoning Manager for the City of Wooster, Ohio for almost 30 years, a job she truly loved. She was a city girl at heart and was passionate about all things Northeast Ohio, including the Cleveland Indians and Cleveland Browns. She possessed incredible wit, received praise for her fairness, and was respected and admired by all. She was selfless, the best mom, and she always knew the right thing to say. She will be greatly missed. Val was preceded in death by her parents and a sister-in-law, Annette Kulyk. She is survived by her husband, Don; her two children, Kristina (Jake) Abry and Nicholas (Tommy) Jesionek; grandchildren, Evan and Ethan Abry; brothers, Walter Kulyk and Peter (Helene) Kulyk; and many nieces and nephews. The family extends special thanks to Lisa and David Hypes, Jeannene James, Ashly and Conner from Freedom Caregivers, and to Lori and all the other nurses, aides, and staff at Kindred Hospice. Visitation will be held at Hilliard-Rospert Funeral Home, 174 North Lyman Street, Wadsworth, Ohio, 44281 on Wednesday, March 31 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Funeral services will be held at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, 260 Broad Street, Wadsworth, Ohio 44281 on Thursday, April 1 at 10 a.m. with burial to follow at Holy Cross Cemetery in Akron, Ohio. Contributions can be made in Val's memory to The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (theaftd.org) or Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish. Hilliard-Rospert (330-334-1501) www.Hilliard-Rospert.com