Kathy Zielinski
There are so many things I’d like to share about my wonderful friend, Jack. There are not enough words to summarize what he and his friendship have meant to me over the years. Jack became a part of our Assistive Technology department in 2010 as IT support to the therapists and specialists who worked with various technologies to help children and adults with developmental disabilities, in particular the iPad. We were thrilled to have someone in our group to help us all understand and utilize the iPad effectively. Thing is - Jack didn’t really know or understand the iPad either 😄 however, his superpower was to dig deep, research, and discover what was needed to make something understandable and workable. I had the honor of being his supervisor during his time in the department, which he continued to be part of until he retired in 2019. He was beloved and valued by all, and many remarked on his patience, ability to teach staff how to use an app, and to create step-by-step instructions so they could continue to use the technology even when he wasn’t with them. When we were both retired, after 2021, our friendship deepened. Jack became friends with my family members too. Even our dog and cat! He always asked about them, and enjoyed them each time he visited. We shared our love for cooking, eating, walking, exploring different areas and so much more. I loved his wry sense of humor and his perspective on life. His emails and especially his handwritten and typewritten letters were legendary. I’m happy to have many physical reminders of him. I once told him that I enjoyed making ratatouille and that of course led to him finding many new recipes for ratatouille and I loved trying out each one of them. I will miss him very much, and the many memories of laughter and conversation will bring me comfort. Jack - may you rest in peace and love. Forever your friend, Kathy
The pictures I’ve shared: we enjoyed a charcuterie board after a walk in the Metroparks; a meme he sent to us titled “in honor of kitty Lemon” (he really “got” our cat’s personality”); a funny meme (so many funny memes!!); the last letter I received from him - he knew I loved Peanuts so he used this stationery
