Zena Odosij

Zena Odosij, 84, of Benton Harbor, passed away Monday, February 4, 2008, in her home. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 10:00 A.M., Friday, February 8, 2008, at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Road, in St. Joseph, with Rusty Stark officiating the service. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be Thursday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. at the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made to the Benton Harbor Church of Christ. Those wishing to send the family a message of condolence may do so online at www.starks-menchinger.com. Zena was born October 23, 1923, in Krasnodar in the Ukraine. As a result of turbulent political history, she immigrated to Germany where she married fellow Ukrainian Michael Odosij in 1945. Together they had two sons, Eugene and Walter. The family later relocated to Michigan. Zena worked for many years at Michigan Fruit Canners as a Food Quality Control Technician. She and her husband enjoyed working in their vegetable and flower garden and took great pride in yearly digging the entire garden by hand. She will be remembered by her family and friends as a “great cook who could cook or bake anything.” A devout Christian, she was a longtime member of the Benton Harbor Church of Christ and enjoyed weekly fellowship with her many friends at church. Zena was a warm and friendly person who loved her family. Zena is survived by her husband, Michael; her two sons, Eugene (Joyce) of Benton Harbor and Walter (Sally) of Grand Rapids; two grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and by numerous friends. She was preceded in death by her parents and by several brothers and sisters.