Antoinette "Toni" Joan Kozlowski

Antoinette Joan Kozlowski, a lifelong resident of Maitland, Florida and retired media specialist at Maitland Middle School, passed away at home on Wednesday April 22, 2015. Funeral services will be held Saturday, April 25 at 2pm at St Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Winter Park, Florida, followed by burial in Glen Haven Memorial Park in Winter Park. Antoinette was born on March 5, 1920 in Utica, New York to Polish immigrants. She attended local schools, received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Keuka College in Keuka Park, N.Y., and a Library Science degree from Albany State University in Albany, N.Y. After moving to Florida years later, she took courses at Rollins College and Valencia Junior College for further training. Her parents were largely mentors and encouraged her love and experiences in speech and drama. While at Keuka College, she was inducted into Alpha Psi Omega, an honorary drama fraternity and was selected to present a bouquet of flowers to the First Lady of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt, Katherine Cornell, the Grand Dame of theater and Helen Hayes, the first lady of theater. After teaching in an up-state N.Y. high school, she married Lieutenant Stanley F. Kozlowski and became accustomed to both her military life and many travels from Oklahoma to Japan, where she lived temporarily next to the Emperor’s Summer Palace before transitioning to officer’s quarters. Her oldest daughter attended kindergarten in kimonos and learned Japanese. Her daughter Beth was a one year old toddler learning to walk and talk there. After this, the family moved to Ft. Knox, Kentucky and lived across from the vaults where we enjoyed watching the trucks load and unload gold bricks daily. A tour in Bad Abling, Germany presented many rich opportunities such as living in a villa of Herman Goerhing’s relatives. They lived close to Munich, Oberramageau, Berchesgarden, Italy, Zurich, Garmish and Austria, often frequenting the surrounding areas. The last five years of their military life was spent in Ft Stewart, Georgia. Upon retirement, Major Kozlowski and family moved to Maitland where Antoinette (Toni) began a 28 year career as a media specialist in her neighborhood school library. Her husband died in July, 1967 and Toni concentrated her efforts on educating her three daughters. But she prided herself in having one of the best libraries in the country – both educationally and physically. When a new state of the art media center replaced the old one, it was dedicated to Antoinette on January 27, 1992 in a moving dedication ceremony. Toni belonged to many associations and groups. She was a member of St Margaret Mary Catholic Church, Alpha Psi Omega National Education Association, Classroom Teachers Association, Parent-Teacher Association, Orange Country Association of Media Association and American Association of Retired Citizens. Since her retirement in 1991 from the school system, she volunteered her services to the Tampa General Hospital medical library. She became an avid walker in early mornings throughout her neighborhood and an avid gardener. Toni is survived by daughter Kim E Walker, and husband Richard, daughter Sharon Bourgeois and husband St Paul, son-in-law Terry Provancha, four grandchildren, St Paul Bourgeois and Stephannie, Christopher Bourgeois and Dianne, Lauren Stone and Rocky and Kristin Smith and Brian, 6 great-grandchildren, Sophie Grace Bourgeois, Madelyn Rae Bourgeois, Zoey Elise Smith, and Ava Stone, Will Stone and Ella Catherine Stone. Toni is also survived by Bobby, Joanie and Charlene Topor, Gary Siembab and many other Topor and Kozlowski cousins and relatives. She was preceded in death by her husband, Major Stanley Francis Kozlowski, daughter Beth Provancha of Winter Park, FL, granddaughter Nicole E Bourgeois of Atlanta, GA, and William Topor, her nephew from N.Y. The family is very appreciative of the many gifts of caring, kindnesses and assistance shown to Toni. Her caregivers, Sharon, Hope and Dawn, were constant companions. Special note of thanks to Dr Khan, and Dr Ambinder and the staff of the Hospice of the Comforter as well as her beloved neighbors and the Maitland Fire Department who constantly checked on her. Flowers or donations will be accepted. In memoriam donations may be made to Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in N.Y. or Hospice of the Comforter, Altamonte Springs. Baldwin-Fairchild East Altamonte is in charge of arrangements.