Teresa Czerniak's Obituary
Teresa Czerniak (nee Tujaka) 56 took the hand of Jesus and left us while being cared for at Holy Family Hospice on Tuesday February 18, 2025. She was preceded in death by her parents Rev. Zygmunt Tujaka and Halina Tujaka. Teresa was the beloved wife of 27 years of David R. Czerniak II. Sister of Eva O’Neill, Ursula Montgomery (Eric), Mary Tujaka (her twin), and Zofia Tujaka (Bruce Hackenbeck). Dear Aunt of Jennifer Duyon, Robby Guba and Riley Guba, Garrett Clingan, Nate Clingan and Lexi Clingan. Sister-in-law of Ruth Clingan (Aaron) and Daughter-in-law of David and Melanie Czerniak.
Teresa was a gifted scholar, athlete, artist and cook. If not for Teresa and her family moving from Chicago to Cleveland in the middle of her senior year of high school, Teresa would most likely have been the Class Valedictorian of 1986. While attending George Washington High School in Chicago, Teresa, her sister Mary and their best friend Chung were instrumental in the creation of their school’s first Women’s tennis team. She donated her time and talents to raise money for various charities through the Sherwin Williams Women’s Club, where she was a proud employee for the past 23 years. Her efforts were well known throughout the company as she created spectacular gift baskets each year that were raffled off with the proceeds going to charity.
Teresa received her BA in Education from John Carroll University where she met her future husband on the first day of class her freshman year in 1986. While attending John Carroll she was active in many activities such photography, the Track Team, the Soccer Club, the Marketing Club and was a proud member of the ZTO sorority.
After graduation she worked at the Shaker Lakes Nature Center where she created curriculum for many of their programs. She loved interacting with the young children watching how they came alive with wonder, curiosity, and enthusiasm during her interactions with them.
Before she became an employee of Sherwin Williams in 2002, she held various positions at Maxelle’s Salon and Spa, Bank of America, Dillard’s, Hallmark, and the IRS. While at Sherwin Williams Teresa utilized her teaching skills to develop training materials and was tasked with training both new employees to Color Support as well as other employees from all levels who interfaced with Color Support or who requested an insight into that aspect of the company. After several years in Color Support Teresa was recruited by her close friend George Gardner to work with him in the E-Commerce Team where she brought her years of experience in Color to a digital format.
Throughout the years she used her skill as an artist to create one-of-a-kind handmade Christmas ornaments, hand painted traditional Polish easter eggs, personalized family nesting dolls, and home-made holiday cards for all occasions. She would sell some of her unique creations at art and craft fairs under the name “Teresa’s Pieces”. At Christmas each year Teresa would create numerous gift baskets filled with an assortment of delicious items that she would have her husband distribute to all his coworkers at Great Lakes Computer Company, where he worked for many years. Each year Teresa would design unique themed birthday cakes for her nephew Robby and her nieces Riley and Lexi. The anticipation of the special cakes always added to the birthday fun. Her favorite holiday to decorate for was Halloween. She would make Chili with bones on top, finger sandwiches and Jello brains (non-alcoholic). She enjoyed assembling unique homemade costumes each year and interacting with all the young children who came to her door.
Teresa enjoyed the fun and competition of board and card games with friends and family. Some of her favorite times were playing scrabble and boggle with her sister Mary. Her cunning and “strategery” often placed her in the role of champion.
Every year of their marriage, Teresa would play a harmless practical joke on her husband on April fools’ day. She delighted in sharing her great ideas each year with all her friends as well as how well it worked on her husband. Her first April fools’ joke (one of her personal favorites) was replacing his bar of soap in the shower with an expertly carved potato. Recently she expanded her list of victims to include creating brussels sprout truffles which she gleefully shared with her brother-in-law Aaron.
Teresa was an expert planner and loved to travel. She took many trips with her husband to Florida, Arizona, Las Vegas, Virginia, and Europe. Her many trips to Las Vegas included special times with her best friend Chung Baker and her husband John Baker as well as a trip with her in-laws during NFR Week where they each experienced their first Rodeo. She was on one such trip in Poland on 9/11/2001 when the twin towers were destroyed and was on one of the first returning flights to the United States when travel restrictions were lifted.
While she excelled at everything she did, she will always be remembered for the smile on her face, her love of others and her deep commitment to her faith in Jesus.
In recent years Teresa had a special devotion to The Divine Mercy. She prayed daily for God’s mercy to be bestowed upon her and her family. Teresa and her twin sister Mary were born on the feast day of Saint Faustina who had a visitation by Jesus who presented himself as “King of Divine Mercy” revealed to her on February 22, 1931. Coincidentally, Teresa’s father Reverand Zygmunt Tujaka, passed on that same day February 22, 2005.
Teresa was the primary caregiver for her mother Halina Tujaka who lived with Teresa and her husband for the past 19 years until her passing on October 20, 2024. Teresa gladly devoted much of her time during her mother’s later years in preparing meals and caring for her mother. She would spend several hours each night simply sitting with her mother and being in her presence.
Teresa had been battling cancer for several years. In early 2024 it metastasized into her lungs.
Through all her struggles Teresa’s commitment to her work at Sherwin Williams kept her going until January 31st, when she decided that she could no longer perform her duties to a level she felt her employer deserved.
Teresa was an extremely generous hostess, an excellent cook who made everything from salmon, chicken parmesan, chili, soups, Polish pastries, to traditional Polish holiday meals and other international favorites. To all who enjoyed her delicious meals and desserts at “Casa Terenia” her ability to make the best salad everyone had ever had will be what many of her guests remember most.
Her loss is felt greatly by her family as well as her close friends from early school days to her many friends at Sherwin Williams and beyond.
Teresa had a special relationship and bond with each of her sisters, nieces and nephews. All will miss her dearly.
While our grief will seem at times unbearable and unending, your love for each of us will continue to help ease our pain.
Rest in peace God’s good and faithful servant.
VISITATION WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2025 4PM-7PM at JARDINE FUNERAL HOME, 15822 PEARL RD, STRONGSVILLE. A Memorial Mass will be held on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2025 at 11AM with visitation beginning at 10AM at ST. JOHN NEUMANN CATHOLIC CHURCH, STRONGSVILLE. Interment will be held privately for the family.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Holy Family Hospice, 6707 State Road, Parma OH 44129, Blossom Hill at https://blossom-hill.org/make-a-gift/, or Sherwin Williams Women’s Club where the Sherwin Williams Foundation will match any gift dollar for dollar made in Teresa’s name.
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