Jolan Parajdi Szmola: 26 January, 1935 - 09 January, 2023

It is with great sorrow that we announce that Jolan (Joli) Szmola, born January 26, 1935, went to rest January 9, 2023 at the age of 87 in her home in Skokie, Illinois.

Born in Kispest, Hungary, daughter of Lajos Parajdi and Ilona Veres Parajdi, she was the fifth of nine children. Jolan left Hungary for Denmark during the 1956 revolution with her dear friend Gabriella, whom she later would name her daughter after.

In Copenhagen, she met and married Lajos Szmola and their first child, Gabriella, was born in 1959. They immigrated to Chicago, Illinois when Gabriella was just 6 months old, where little brother Seymour Szmola was then born (August 28, 1963 - February 21, 1994).

Joli spent the second half of her life in Skokie, Illinois where she helped raise her granddaughters and touched many people's hearts as a fantastic gardener, dedicated employee at Shure Brothers, and an entertaining character in the Glencoe Park District.

Joli raised her children and grandchildren with a love of baking and cooking traditional Hungarian foods, family traditions which continue to this day through her legacy and recipes. Gabriella even shares these talents at the local farmer's markets as well as in the family homes of everyone who knew Joli. Tons of Hungarian cookies were always everyone's favorite holiday gift.

Joli also made sure to bring her children up nurturing their love of the outdoors and exploration with bike riding around Chicago. This brought them to find Montrose Beach, which Gabriella and Seymour fell in love with as they swam off "the rocks" between the horseshoe pier and the harbor. It was their playground and home-away-from-home for many years.

This never changed even after they moved to Skokie. Montrose became the place they would spend many years making lifelong friends and creating cherished memories. All of Joli's grandchildren came to know and love that magical place as well.

She also spent time on numerous occasions in Hawaii with her granddaughters and great granddaughters after they relocated, enjoying the islands with them and fostering their love for the water and nature there.

Joli was an asset to her employer SHURE Brothers Inc. for over twenty years, followed by her working at Glencoe Beach and Watts Ice center during her retirement, bringing smiles to many.

Joli worked hard at anything she did. She took pride in fixing up her home and working on her garden. She also helped anyone in any way she could, while simultaneously striving to be as independent and strong as she could, right until the end.

Joli was a devoted mother and grandmother as well as great grandmother. She will truly be missed.

Joli is preceded in death by her extremely missed son Seymour Szmola who she lost in 1994, her wonderful and lost too soon as well granddaughter Alivia Manon in 2009, and more recently in 2022 her loving sister Piroska Juhasz of Canada, and seven other siblings as well as her parents in Hungary.

Joli leaves behind her cherished family, her daughter Gabriella Szmola, her grandchildren Gabrielle Antonacci, Alexandrea Antonacci, Christian Manon, Zachary Manon, Victoria Cook and Scarlett Manon, her great grandchildren Mylene Rosas, Chloe Matsuoka, Lilliana Matsuoka and Evelynn Manon as well as her beloved dog Abby.

Joli's quick wit and no nonsense demeanor, as well as her sparky sense of humor and sarcasm, will be never be forgotten.

Her love of baking, gardening, the beach and sarcasm will be remembered and passed on for many generations to come. The name Jolan is Hungarian for "good girl" and violet blossom and it suited her perfectly.

Until we meet again…

We think about you often.

We think about you still.

You have never been forgotten.

And you never will.

We hold you close within our hearts.

And there you will remain.

To walk and guide us through our lives.

Until we meet again.

In Jolan's wishes no service will be held. Please feel free to celebrate her life and memory as you wish.