MARY ZAKIS's Obituary
Mary Lynn Bessey Zakis, beloved daughter, wife, and mother, passed away on April 18, 2018, following a valiant battle with cancer. Mary Lynn was born on October 3, 1942 in Cincinnati, Ohio, the only child of Alberta Marie (Rothman) and William Patrick Bessey. Her family moved to Miami in the early 1950s and Mary Lynn attended Miami Jackson Senior High School, where she was an honors student and played clarinet in the marching band and concert orchestra. Mary Lynn married her high school sweetheart, Andrew Emmanuel Zakis, in 1961. She graduated with the first class at Dade Junior College (now Miami Dade College), obtained a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Miami, and a Master’s Degree from Florida Atlantic University. Mary Lynn’s career was spent teaching social studies in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. She impacted numerous students as advisor for her school’s History Bee Team and was recognized as Miami-Dade County’s Social Studies Teacher of the Year. She retired from H.D. McMillan Middle School in 1999. Mary Lynn’s passion, however, was her family. She is survived by a daughter, Michele, and a son, Andrew, who miss her greatly. A talented artist, Mary Lynn, enjoyed painting. She looked forward to decorating the house for holidays, always putting up more than one tree at Christmas. Mary Lynn enjoyed taking tours with History Miami, discussing politics, working Sudoku puzzles, and surfing real estate websites. In addition to her children, Mary Lynn is survived by her sisters-in-law, Betty Jane Butler and Catherine Alpizar (Hugo); cousins, Jean Huckaby, Jerome Marlman, and Carol Ann Drew; and several nieces and nephews. We love you, Mom. May you find peace and comfort. You’ve earned it.
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