Irene Bancsi

Irene Bancsi, nee Karaszi, age 95, of South Holland, IL, passed away Tuesday, July 25, 2017. Daughter of Paul and Susan (Akai) Karaszi, Irene lived through trying times. She lost two siblings at early ages due to childhood illnesses. She lived through the depression and World War II, along with her older sister Betty. She graduated from Burnside Grade School and went on to Fenger Academy High School, in Chicago. After high school, she worked factory jobs at Zenith and Federal Sign and Signal. She married John Rizzuto, Son of Angelo and Mary in 1949, and moved into an apartment above her mother and father, Susan and Paul Karaszi, at 87th and Cottage Grove, in Chicago. Shortly after the move, Paul Karaszi passed away. John had his own shoe repair business on the south side of Chicago. Their son, John Jr., was born in 1950. After moving into a newly built house in Calumet City, their second son, Ronald, was born in 1953.Almost three years later, in 1956, John passed away and Irene was left a single mother, who had to look after and care for two boys. While the boys were growing up, Irene found part-time employment at Sears Roebuck, River Oaks, in the jewelry department. Later, she became a librarian at the Calumet City Library on Wentworth Ave.After her sons John and Ron grew up and moved out,they both got married. Grandchildren followed. Paul and Karen were born to John and his wife Lai: Julianne, Kevin, and Nicole to Ron and Peggy. In 19811rene married Bill Bancsi at the Calvin Reformed Church in Lynwood, and she was able to retire from the library and move to South Holland. In the years to follow, her sister, Betty passed away in 1988, and then her mother Susan in 1998. As time went on, nine great-grandchildren arrived. She enjoyed traveling with Bill in the car to Florida every late winter, staying at a beach condo and visiting her niece in Tennessee on the trip back. She also loved making bacon bread over a wood fire, holidays, and sharing good times with her Hungarian in-laws,nephews,and friends. Bill passed away in 2003, and was sadly missed after over 22 years together. Irene lived a full life. Life has its ups and downs, good times and bad times, and time of sadness and times of joy. We are here to celebrate Irene's 95 years of life and all the events that filled her life.