Alma Cizek

Alma Bennett Cooper Cizek passed away on December 20, 2020. She was born May 15, 1933, in North Attleboro, MA, daughter of Dr. John Paul Cooper and Alma Georgine Cooper (nee La Fontaine). She passed away at home in Monee, Illinois with her husband at her side.

After completing high school, Alma enrolled at Salve Regina College, Newport, RI, and graduated with a BA in Art and Art Education. She married John Cizek, Lt USN, on July 31, 1954, at the Great Lakes (Lake Forest) Illinois Chapel. She and John were married for 66 years.

She began working on her Master's degree at Drake and Iowa State University and completed her teaching certification. Initially, she taught in Iowa, later in suburban Chicago junior high schools as an art teacher and Art Department Head. She loved children and they learned from and appreciated her. Her students performed well, winning competitive State of Illinois Regional Art Contests most years.

As a teacher, she enjoyed having summers off and the time to engage in other activities. As an artist herself, she was skilled in sculpting, casting and painting. She painted porcelain china. She became President of the Illiana Art and Ceramic Painters Society.

She developed an interest in flying, she and her husband purchased a Cessna 4-passenger airplane, and they both became private pilots. Alma accepted an invitation to join the NINETY-NINES, the International Association of Women Pilots. They enjoyed recreational flying for over 35 years.

Alma loved animals, both wild and domesticated. She was an avid and accomplished equestrian and she owned, bred and showed horses. She was especially fond of Egyptian Arabian horses and they became her focus later in life. She also owned and showed Irish Wolfhound dogs, one became a national champion, and for a time, bred seal-point Siamese cats.

Alma was an accomplished Bridge (card game) player, played competitively and for people who know Bridge, she had accumulated Master points. She had a wonderful group of friends that she made through playing Bridge for so many years. This was an important pastime of hers until her passing.

Her other outside, pro bono, activities were often the result of people tracking her down because of her widely known strengths in a range of areas. Approached by a prominent area Women's Club, they indicated they were struggling with shrinking membership and budget problems. They offered her the presidency, she accepted and served for 3 terms. She was later approached by another (the largest) suburban Women's Club with similar issues, she became president and served 2 terms.

Most who have known her would say that Alma was compulsive about doing things right, not giving up, and meeting goals and expectations. She had an excellent ability to diagnose problems, and evaluate leadership. Alma was always optimistic in these situations believing that with some work, "better times" would come.

She liked people and they liked her. She was often stopped by people who knew and remembered her, many times from her 30 years as an art teacher, hearing someone say, "there is Mrs. Cizek" or "hi, Mrs. C" turning to see former students who would thank her for days of fun learning in her classes.

Later in life, Alma and John took trips to Arizona to visit their daughter and son-in-law, grand-children and great-grandchildren. We bless Alma and all the beautiful sparkles hovering above the colorful traces she left behind — we will love you FOREVER. She is survived by her husband, John Cizek, sister Paula Nickell,  daughter Marti Cizek, grandchildren Luke Cizek and Kelle Ramsey and her three great-grandchildren, Della and Watson Cizek and Ellis Ramsey.