Josephine Hottinger Cizek

Josephine Hottinger, Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Great-grandmother, age 92, born in St. Paul on April 2, 1932; passed away on December 18, 2024.

Jo was a humble, selfless woman of faith who sought success in God’s eyes, not the worlds. An accomplished seamstress and quilter, enthusiastic golfer, and avid baker, she devoted her life to her Catholic faith and to her family. Beloved wife of Lloyd for 59 years, until his death in 2014. Jo loved her four siblings and enjoyed hearing about their kids’ many milestones and accomplishments. She loved visits with her kids, birthday lunches and later FaceTiming with her 18 grandchildren, and catching up with friends from Nativity grade school, the Derham Hall class of 1950 and the St. Catherine College class of 1954.

Jo’s start as a nurse prepared her well for taking care of six children, with Lloyd (“just wait til your father gets home”) often gone because of his job as a pilot with Northwest Airlines.

She returned to nursing after their children were grown and later volunteered at the Amery Life Care Center after their move to Wisconsin. She served with passion and creativity for more than four years as liaison to the Respect Life Office of the Diocese of Superior, Wisconsin. Babies were her joy. In her later years, pictures and videos of her great-grandchildren never failed to bring a smile to her lovely face.

Preceded in death by her parents Josephine Friend and Felix George Hottinger, husband Lloyd Henry Cizek, siblings Mary Kirtz, Dr. George Hottinger, Charley Hottinger and Ruth Ann Allard, and their spouses. Survived by children John (Dianne), Bill (Clare), Jeanette (Tom) Leighton, Jim (Jaymie), Patty (Bill) Flynn, and David; and the apples of her eye, grandchildren and great-grandchildren Jenna (Kory) & Erick and Eva Stark; Alex Cizek; Jack Cizek; Josie (Matt) & Will Sullivan; Jessa (Denis) & Julian and Camille Bustamante; Zach (Jess) & Millie, Cal, and Sofia Cizek; Eleanor Joy Cizek; Art Leighton; Katie (Kory) & Joseph, Lucy, and Dominic Carpenter; Charlie Leighton; Lucy (Blake) & John Torline; Henry Leighton; Blake (Bri) & Brooklynn Cizek; Josh Cizek; Billy Flynn; Aileen (Eddie) & Adelia and Eloise LeTourneau; Mary Flynn; and Maureen (Chris) Garcia.

Visitation Monday, January 13, from 4-7 PM, Willwerscheid Funeral Home, 1167 Grand Avenue, St. Paul and on Tuesday, January 14 from 10-11 AM at Church of St. Peter, 1405 Sibley Memorial Highway, Mendota. Rite of Christian Burial on Tuesday, January 14 at 11 AM at Church of St. Peter. The Funeral Mass will be live-streamed; search YouTube using Church of St. Peter Mendota MN. Interment at Resurrection Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Guiding Star Wakota, the Church of St. Peter of Mendota, or the Church of St. Mark in Saint Paul.