Linda Margaret Milewski

Linda Margaret Milewski peacefully passed away on March 23, 2022, in Maumee, Ohio after losing her battle with Alzheimer's. Linda was 72 years old. Born in Alliance, Ohio to John and Mary Luber, Linda was the oldest of four children. After the family moved to Seven Hills, Ohio, Linda attended the former Nazareth Academy in Parma and then proceeded to earn a bachelor's degree in Home Economics and Education from Bowling Green State University. When Linda was 16, she met her high school sweetheart, Wayne, while walking to the bus stop for school as they lived on the same street. On their first date they went to a movie and Wayne was so nervous he actually forgot his wallet, so Linda had to pay. Despite being certain this would be his first and last date with her, Linda and Wayne spent 56 years together - 51 of them married - and enjoyed the best life had to offer. During Wayne's early years in the insurance industry, Linda was Wayne's assistant until the time came when she could be a stay-at-home mom to Renee and Steve. However, being a ''Jack of all trades'' enabled Linda to earn some extra money tailoring women's clothes at Franklin Park Mall. Eventually they moved to Maumee, and it was there that they began establishing lifelong friendships. As St. Joan of Arc church was being built, Linda would help set up the interim church in the gym for the weekend Masses. Stitching garments and dressings required for Mass were things she enjoyed being able to contribute. Linda loved exercising daily and eventually joined Bally's Fitness. Not long after, Linda became an aerobics instructor while continuing to do her personal workouts. If Linda wasn't at the gym, you might have found her walking down Pilliod Road with her great friend, Kate Savage. Linda joined Shadow Valley Tennis Club and became a tennis player under the tutelage of Jim Davis and Tom Martin. But if you ask Wayne, he thinks Linda discovered her fondness for tennis when she discovered all the cute clothing associated with the sport. For a number of years, she was involved with tennis by co-captaining several T.A.I.L. teams with her close friend, Grace Weidaw. As a Board Member and eventual President of Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northwest Ohio, Linda co-chaired an annual ''Make-A-Wish Tennis Pro Am'' which featured local and high-profile international tennis champions. Learning tennis would later become an easy way for her to make another entire group of friends in Arizona where they would often vacation. Linda's and Wayne's love of tennis lead them to becoming dear friends with Tom Martin and his wonderful wife Gaye. Together, they enjoyed trips to Aruba every February, and Gaye quickly became a wonderful friend. Being a Home Economics major, Linda exhibited great culinary skills. She always had a supply of delicious chocolate chip cookies on hand in case Tim ''Cookie Monster'' Gruber stopped by for a visit. Each of Tim's visits were precluded by him entering the home and making a beeline to the refrigerator for a glass of milk and then to the cookie jar while he was saying hello. The late John F. Savage was a huge admirer of her baking skills and always offered his ''professional critique'' of his favorite, coconut bread. Linda's cherished event was the family's annual Christmas party attended by their closest friends and their children. Everyone dressed in their "holiday best" and Santa would magically appear at just the right time, gifting every child a wrapped present and singing Christmas carols. Linda was the first co-chair of St. John's Jesuit Mom Prom. This became an annual event as the students discovered their moms could actually be a lot of fun. Linda loved dogs. When Wayne was in the Army in Seattle in the early 70's, Linda purchased a St. Bernard and on weekends they'd travel to Mt. Rainier and watch ''Bernie'' gallop and roll around in the snow. As a result of her fondness for dogs, both Renee and Steve grew up loving dogs. Big ones. Linda would pet them nonstop, feed them snacks and allow them to lay on the couch next to her (much to Wayne's dismay). Her grandson Jackson was very special to her. They had annual back-to-school shopping trips, hours of poolside chats, weekend sleepovers and always shared big hugs. They were "best buddies." Jackson never heard her say a bad word about anyone. Linda always looked forward to helping Tim and Peggy Gruber and their family pack Christmas food baskets at Our Lady of Lourdes. Linda enjoyed and had a knack for interior decorating. Her dear friend, Colleen Langenderfer, offered lots of inspiration and wonderful ideas. They took a few cooking classes together, and it was the invitations to the Langenderfer's home at Devil's Lake where Linda and Wayne created fantastic memories with Colleen and her late husband Ron. Linda began speaking with her daughter Renee daily after Renee moved to Colorado in 1997. It was also at this time Linda became a big Michigan State basketball fan, a result of her son Steve graduating from the school. As her illness progressed, Linda would call Renee or her sister-in-law Marsha Marion several times a day and they would cheer her up with laughter. Her sister, Carol Parobek, would drive up from Cincinnati regularly and provided the support and love only a wonderful sister could provide. Linda was as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside. Sincere, compassionate, gentle. She loved her family. Her children, Renee and Steve, meant everything and her unconditional love and support of them never ceased. Her love for family extended to both the Milewski and Luber sides as well as her daughter-in-law, Kelly Milewski, and son-in-law, John Robey. But it was her love for her high school sweetheart Wayne that let the adventure begin and created so many beautiful memories. The family graciously thanks the incredible staff and caregivers of the memory care center at The Legacy at Lakes of Monclova. Their compassion, love and detail for care was exceptional. Thank you also to Hospice of Northwest Ohio who helped manage Linda's final days. A debt of gratitude to her amazing friend Peggy Gruber for attending to Linda's needs and praying the rosary in Linda's room. Linda is survived by her husband Wayne; daughter Renee Robey (John); son Steve (Kelly); grandson Jackson Oates; sister, Carol Parobek; brothers John Luber (Kim) and Rick Luber (Teresa), and many nieces and nephews. Linda was preceded in death by her parents, Mary and John Luber, and nephew Jeffrey Parobek. Friends may visit at the Coyle Funeral Home, 1770 S. Reynolds Rd., on Thursday, March 31 from 2:00 - 6:00 p.m. where a Scripture Service will be held at 6:00 p.m. The Memorial Mass will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, April 1 at St. Patrick of Heatherdowns Church, 4201 Heatherdowns Blvd., where the family will begin greeting guests at 9:30 a.m. Interment will follow at Roth Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Linda's honor to St John's Jesuit High School, 5901 Airport Hwy, Toledo, OH 43615 attn: Linda Milewski Scholarship Fund or Toledo Humane Society, 827 Illinois Ave, Maumee, OH 43537. Please view and sign the online guest registry at www.coylefuneralhome.com

Linda Margaret Milewski

May 22, 1949 - March 23, 2022