Patti J Marzec

Patti Jean Marzec was born in Toledo Ohio on November 18th, 1954, at 8:12am in Toledo Hospital becoming the 3rd and last child of Harley and Olive Young. She had 2 older sisters (Sharon and Christine) growing up on Scottwood Ave. Later attending Scott High School. After high school she earned her cosmetology license at Miss Ruby’s Beauty College in downtown Toledo and worked as a hairstylist for many years. Then moved on to working at the Toledo Blade newspaper in the Customer Service Department for 9 years. The job she loved most was being a housewife and a mother. She married in 1972 and they fostered 6 children from 1976-1978 before having their own. Later they had their son Nicholas in 1978 and Julia in 1982. An avid chef at home, she enjoyed making meals for her family and baked goods of all kinds including her famous coconut cream pie that friends and family raved about.... except for her children. She was always involved in her children’s school associations and activities such as Greenwood Elementary PTA, Girl Scout leader, and a Boy Scout Den mother.

In 2008 she left the Toledo area for better weather in Wilmington NC, working as a medical coder at New Hanover Reginal Medical Center. While in North Carolina her role changed to her most cherished title of grandmother to her daughter’s first-born daughter Brynn, then 3 years later to her second-born daughter (Harper). She returned to Toledo to be closer to those grandchildren who became her most precious treasures who gave her the name of “Gaga”. Her grandchildren were the light of her life, and she loved being a grandmother the most, watching them do any of their activities including dance, sports, and horseback riding. She liked to mend their clothes and bake cookies for them. She enjoyed gardening and landscaping around in her yard. She became a Notary in 2020, later she adopted a new fur baby named Jack, a sweet Border Collie/Corgi Rescue.

In the late fall of 2021, she came down with a serious case of Covid-19 and was admitted into ICU in Flower Hospital almost losing her life but kept defying the odds. She was not left unscathed; she would have to battle the long-term effects of Pulmonary Fibrosis. Her lungs were so badly damaged, she was put on a lung transplant list for 5 years at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI. Unfortunately, after her long road of rehab they were never able to place her with any donors and after further complications was taken off the list. She then decided to go home and spend quality time with her family and friends. The disease sadly would progress, and she would have to enter Hospice of Northwest Ohio Ebeid Hospice Center where she would ultimately lose her battle with Pulmonary Fibrosis at the age of 71 on May 20th, 2026, at 10:58pm with her children by her side.

She is preceded in death by her parents Olive and Harley Young, Patricia Warnke (adoptive), and her beloved fur baby Bandit (Shih Tzu).

She leaves behind her surviving children Nicholas Marzec, Julia (Brian) Bolander, and Jack (fur son) and her grandchildren Brynn (13) and Harper (10) Bolander, sisters Sharon (Herschel) Smith and Christine (Mike) Young-Manzione, Nephews Greg Smith, Tim Wert and Jeff (Lisa) Smith, Niece Shelly (Mark) Stevenson plus adoptive father George Warnke and family. Along her side through it all were her amazing friends including Fran Cousino, Cindy Marzec, Debbie Keeler and Donna Prusakiewicz.

A celebration of her life will be held May 30th, 2026, at 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm with a special toast at 3:30 pm at Conn-Weissenberger Legion Hall at 2020 W. Alexis Rd., Toledo, Ohio 43613 where we will enjoy her favorite food and drinks. Food is provided but it will be a cash bar. We would love for you to join us and wear her favorite color purple if you so wish.

In lieu of flowers if you would like to donate the family asks to send any donations to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation in hopes that someday, they will find a cure.

We would also like to take the time to thank and share our gratitude to all the amazing medical staff at Flower Hospital, St. Lukes Hospital, Henry Ford Hospital, and Hospice of NW Ohio.