Jeanette Kay Zsambok

Jeanette Kay (Ortez) Zsambok (May 4, 1941 to October 23, 2024) is a daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother and great grandmother.  Although that precious spark of life has left her, these relationships will always remain.  Born in Billings Montana to Murial (Younkin) Ortez and Edward Ortez the family, including her two younger sisters Marylin (Jim) Dement and Donna (Joe) Brandelik, moved about and finally settled in Dayton Ohio.  Donna recently pointed out how Jeanette had overcome many obstacles to make a good life for herself and her own family.  She attended Patterson Co-Op in Dayton, which was a bold move and allowed her to work and save enough money to buy her first “really warm coat”.  She also made the money to go to college with her life long sweetheart Richard.  They met in high school where their first impressions were that she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen and she thought he had the most lovely blue eyes.  Sounds like love at first sight!  Richard worked up the courage to ask her out and they were together from then on, marrying in 1961.  In all the years they never stopped holding hands which Richard always recommended to all new couples was a must.  After leaving college she worked in the secretarial field she had trained for, for many years.  She eventually left that work to join her husband in the small insurance agency he had started.  This was a successful venture for them both, allowing them to care for themselves and their daughters Jeanie Zsambok and Julie Zsambok (Brent Hopper).  Jeanette was most happy when she was productive.  She was a proud member of her community including within her church and as the first woman to be the inaugural president of the local Optimist Club chapter.  She always saw herself as a member of the wider community and worked to make that community a better place.  She loved being a part of the First United Methodist Church and was so happy to follow in her mother’s footsteps in being part of the United Methodist Women.  She took on many leadership roles, both in her own church, in her conference and at the State level.  It was a joy to her to be with so many smart and powerful women and see what they could do when they all worked together.  These relationships and her faith truly fed her soul.  As she neared the end, she had the time to share some of her thoughts with us.  She was sad to leave behind her husband of 62 years, her daughters, her sister Donna, her sister-in-law Carrie Zsambok, brother-in-law Michael Adler, her grandchildren Erin Starling (Davante) and Katie Shaw (Dante) and her great grandson Rex Starling.  She knew that her mother and sister were waiting for her.  She was joyful in her relationship with Jesus and God, experiencing some moments of pure love.  She found great comfort in remembering that after her last breath she would be joining them, not really leaving us.  As she put it- “It’s all so simple, it’s right there”.  All of us who had the privilege to be part of her world, will miss her dearly.  We are all the better for having known her.  Farewell sweet soul, we will see you again. Visitation will be held Monday, October 28, 2024 from 11am-1pm, with the funeral to honor Jeanette beginning at 1:00pm at Trostel, Chapman, Dunbar & Fraley Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Glen Haven Memorial Gardens. Memorial contributions may be made in Jeanette’s honor at United Women in Faith, Uwfaith.org. Expressions of sympathy may be made at www.trostelchapman.com.