Helen (Heczi) Frances Cesenaro, age 84, of Forest Hill, Maryland, passed away peacefully on Sunday, August 2, 2026, surrounded by her loving family.

Heczi was born in Baltimore, Maryland on August 22, 1941, with the bluest and most beautiful eyes known to mankind. Her birthday is also the Feast Day of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which is so fitting because this feast day honors Mary’s pure heart, which Heczi possessed as well.

Heczi was the beloved daughter of the late Chester Jakubiak and the late Helen (Gos) Jakubiak. She was preceded in death by her husband Guisto Vincent Cesenaro, her sister Bernadine (Jakubiak) Janiski, her brother Eddie Jakubiak, her sister Elizabeth (Jakubiak) Taylor, her brother Chester Jakubiak, her sister Joanna (Jakubiak) Clabaugh, her brother Henry Jakubiak, her brother Daniel Jakubiak, and her granddaughter Jessica Orth. Before her passing, Heczi was the Matriarch of her family – a role that she took very seriously.

Heczi is survived in death by her son Jeffrey Vincent Cesenaro and Debbie Lins, daughter Deborah Ann (Cesenaro) Taormina and husband Anthony Taormina, daughter Cynthia Marie (Cesenaro) Stewart and husband Robert Stewart, granddaughter Christina (Orth) Decker, granddaughter Nichole Orth, grandson Robbie Stewart, grandson Brandon Taormina, great-granddaughter Camden, great-grandson Cole, great-granddaughter Tatyana, great-granddaughter Destiny, and many nieces and nephews. Heczi and husband Gus lived with their daughter Cindi, husband Rob, and grandson Robbie for over 20 years.

As one of eight children, Heczi’s early years were full of much family time and activity. She always credited her big sister Elizabeth for taking such great and loving care of her and her brother Danny while her mother ran errands with her older siblings. Her life was full of responsibilities around the house and at her grandparents’ house where she cleaned every week. Heczi always credited her hardworking nature and grit to her years of hard physical work for her family in those early years. Because of her family’s Polish heritage, many meals consisted of delicious Polish food (Golobki, Pierogi, Sauerkraut & Kielbasa, etc.) There was a lot of simple fun in her childhood, and her fondest memories were playing in Patterson Park with her siblings and friends. Being so humble and simple and not at all about money or status, Heczi would rarely let her mother buy her anything new. She was totally fine with hand-me-downs.

Heczi attended Holy Rosary School in Baltimore from 1st to 8th grade. As an 8th grader, she was chosen to recite a Polish poem in front of the entire school. She never forgot that poem and would recite it every now and again out of the blue. Being severely camera shy, however, no one was ever allowed to record her. She was stunningly beautiful, but she never knew it, and thus her strict rule of no photos. Daughter Cindi and grandson Robbie literally had to sneak photos of her at times just to have some snippets of proof of her life.

Heczi graduated from The Catholic High School of Baltimore in 1959 and then went on to work full time. At one point, she aspired to become a Nun, but she gave up on that dream because at the time, she thought that she would be expected to teach. Instead, all she wanted to do was care for people in need. Heczi worked for Sealy Mattress Company for years and was so beloved there because of her strong work ethic, pleasant disposition, and kindness. Eventually, she and husband Gus started a family and had three beautiful children, Jeff, Debi, and Cindi. As a stay-at-home mom, she stuffed envelopes in the evenings to make extra money. For many years, much time was spent on sports fields watching Jeff play football and baseball and Debi and Cindi cheerlead.

Heczi was adored because of her eclectic food choices. She was quite a finicky eater and rarely ate meat, but when she did, she loved cheesesteaks and cheeseburgers. Her other favorite foods were Matthew’s traditional pizza and crab cakes (Box Hill and Koko’s). She also loved breakfast. It was her favorite meal. More than anything, though, she had a huge sweet tooth. Her favorite sweets were banana splits, strawberry shortcake, lemon meringue pie, and anything marshmallow (Mallo Cups, Mallomars, and chocolate snowballs with marshmallow). Over many years, she also ate a ton of healthy foods that were great for heart health (oatmeal, blueberries, oranges, salmon, sweet potatoes, Dave’s Killer Bread, etc.) and added protein (cottage cheese). She did her research and followed every recommendation.

Heczi was and will always be very well known for a host of traits, these being: gratitude, kindness, empathy, generosity, humility, pure heartedness, positivity, usefulness, grit, acceptance, patience, mischievousness, quick wittedness, intelligence, humor, joyfulness and a refusal to never steal anyone else’s joy, true interest in others, common sense, the “IT” factor (people magnet), and being a great listener. She also made sure to acknowledge anyone’s kind treatment of her – whether it be a cashier, server, or even a passerby. She made sure that the “difference makers” knew that she really appreciated them.

She also loved to help others, and over many years, she did just that. She helped her family, especially, in various ways. She babysat many of her nieces and nephews, she was ready and present to do whatever was necessary for her sister Bernadine when her beloved husband Jim passed away suddenly at the age of 39 (leaving behind 10 children), she dog sat and house sat for her sister Elizabeth and then also took her to her chemotherapy sessions in later years, she took her sister-in-law Phyllis to her physical therapy sessions, she helped her brother Danny after he suffered a stroke and then an aneurysm and visited him regularly in various nursing homes, she drove her sister Joanie wherever she needed to go because she did not drive, she cleaned her mother’s house with her sister Joanie every single Friday for many years (and loved every minute of it), and she helped her grandmother in various ways as well. Heczi also helped her own children and grandchildren in numerous ways whenever they needed her. Nothing was too big to ask. She was always there. She became her husband Gus’s caregiver for several years. Gus suffered from dementia and needed 24/7 care. Nothing regarding his care was too hard for her to tackle, and nothing was ever left undone or ignored. When Gus was finally admitted to a nursing home, Heczi was present every single day and several times each day. She even helped the nurses get Gus into bed every night because she knew the best way to do it. She showed up every day with various foods, snacks, milk shakes, and Gus’s favorite music to make his days much more pleasant.

The greatest honor of Heczi’s life was taking care of her beautiful mother (with the same name) when she fell ill. Her mother Helen had a massive heart attack at the age of 61, and daughter Heczi was her caregiver for 12 years until her death at age 73. There is nothing like a mother, and Heczi honored her mother with all the love and respect in the world. Her mother was so appreciative for all that Heczi did for her and all that she was to her (being so kind and loving but also hilarious) that she told her that she was her “Pociecha” (meaning “my happiness” in Polish). Fast forward many years later, and Heczi bestowed the very same honor to Cindi, for which she is forever grateful.

In later years, Heczi volunteered religiously at the Harford County Humane Society. This went on for several years, and she never missed a day. She started walking dogs there but later volunteered for laundry duty and made sure that all blankets and towels were completely dry before she handed them over. She would not leave the property for home until she was 100% satisfied that every single animal had a clean, dry blanket on which to rest and sleep. She also fostered many pets over the years. Her loving heart took in those that no one else wanted and those most in need of care. She was a “Dog Whisperer,” and everyone knew it. Her ultimate dream, if she ever had a lot of money, was to open a dog sanctuary where dogs would always be happy and safe. She never met a dog she didn’t love, and she wanted to spread that love to so many more.

Heczi and Gus were also loyal supporters of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Defenders of Animal Rights for over 30 years. Heczi covered her refrigerator with photos of children that St. Jude helped. When grandson Robbie was in 6th grade, he and Heczi decided to hold a big 2-day neighborhood yard sale/bake sale to benefit St. Jude. In the end, Heczi and Gus, Robbie and his parents, and various other neighborhood families raised $3,000 to benefit this very worthy cause.

In her daily life at home, Heczi was compelled to help the helpless in any way possible. When she learned that there was a lost dog, she would enlist Gus’s help, and the two of them would ride around and scour neighborhoods looking for them. Many years ago, she spent months trying to find a particular dog and finally did. During the summer months, Heczi walked around her pool with skimmer in hand ready to save all bees, ants, beetles, spiders, etc. that made their way in. She also researched the best way to save frogs in pools and found “frog logs.” Soon after her recommendation, the “frog logs” were ordered and placed in the pool. From that point on, many frogs were saved thanks to her. Heczi and Gus also religiously fed the birds for many years – so much so that the birds at the Shop Rite at the Festival in Bel Air recognized Heczi’s little red car and lined up in readiness for their big meal. Picture the “Bird Lady” in “Home Alone 2” and how the birds flocked to her. That’s what the scene resembled. Also picture the very humble, loving “Bird Lady” feeding the birds on the steps of St. Paul’s Cathedral in the movie “Mary Poppins.” That was Heczi.

Heczi’s happiest and most relaxing years were spent living with daughter Cindi, son-in-law Rob, and grandson Robbie. Even during the Covid years, she felt very safe and cared for, and this brought her much relief and gratitude, which she verbalized very often. She and Cindi shared a childlike spirit, and Heczi was always Cindi’s biggest supporter and cheerleader. Heczi loved Cindi’s festive trees, cakes, and decorations for every occasion. The best thing of all, however, was that she and Cindi were Best Friends. Their bond was steady, unconditional, and unbreakable. Cindi will be grateful for this blessing forever and ever.

Heczi and Rob were two peas in a pod – like twins. They were similar in every way possible (their kindness, humility, patience, positivity, common sense, humor, independence, and even food choices). Cindi remains very grateful that she found a soulmate so wonderful – just like her mother. Heczi volunteered to be Rob’s pool assistant, and she did a fantastic job. Rob could always rely on her.

Heczi and Robbie shared a very special, loving bond that was unbeatable and unbreakable. They were partners in crime, playing practical jokes on Gus. Heczi cherished and adored the many creative gifts that Robbie made for her. She always kept them on display because they made her very happy. She was so proud of everything that Robbie accomplished with his engineering, his music, and his photography, but she was even more proud of his empathy and kindness for people and animals in need. When Robbie took in a neighborhood cat near his home in California in fear that it would be attacked by a coyote and then kept the cat as his own, Heczi was so happy, relieved, and proud. One of her favorite things to enjoy was listening to Rob and Robbie play their guitars. She was always a captive audience and very grateful for the gift of their music.

She loved that her many dogs lived with her at different times in a very inviting and loving space…Tucky, Derby, Daisy, Taffy, Louie, and Gibby. Each dog brought different gifts to her, and she was so grateful. When she relaxed with them at home, she was often seen in her comfy pajamas, robe, festive socks, and sparkly slippers while she mastered Sudoku, crossword puzzles, and word searches. She also watched investigative crime shows (she figured everything out because of her amazing smarts) and various political shows (intent on getting to the facts, keeping her “finger on the pulse,” and always being “in the know”). She also enjoyed sitting on her pool patio petting whoever was nearby.

Speaking of festive and sparkly, Heczi loved when Cindi and Rob took her and Gibby on what she called “Gibby’s field trips.” Such field trips were visits to Panera, Coffee Coffee, and THB. Truth be told, the field trips were as much for Heczi as they were for Gibby, and that thrilled Cindi and Rob very much. Each time, Heczi wore a pair of festive socks, as well as a pair of festive sunglasses that Cindi bought her. Every single time, a stranger complimented Heczi on her adorable sunglasses. This always made Heczi very happy and proud, and each time she explained that Cindi bought her festive sunglasses so that people would stop her and drum up conversations with her. Such Magical moments! Heczi was so grateful for Bertha Wetherington’s gifts of festive sunglasses, too. To honor Heczi, Cindi has now taken over possession of all festive sunglasses and has already started wearing them. This brings her much joy, and she feels Heczi’s love, positivity, and fun in a very big and meaningful way as a result.

Gibby was Heczi’s only dog to outlive her, and ironically, he proved to be the most helpful to her. Corgis are natural herding dogs, and Gibby instinctively herded Gus’s wheelchair during the years that Heczi took care of him. Gibby also dutifully sat beside Gus while Heczi prepared Gus’s medicines. In February of 2025, Gibby alerted Cindi and Rob when Heczi experienced a mini stroke in the middle of the night. And finally, Gibby alerted Cindi and Rob when Heczi fainted on their pool patio just two days before her passing. Gibby’s actions made it so Heczi had 48 more hours instead of perishing on the spot. Heczi was beyond grateful for Gibby’s life-saving actions, and she said that he would always be our Superhero. Shortly after Heczi passed, Cindi and Rob gifted Gibby his very own Superhero cape.

In recent years, Heczi received a very special gift for which she was so grateful. She and son Jeff talked regularly and had such wonderful conversations about their lives and reminisced about family memories. They learned that they shared a huge love for dogs and a rock-solid commitment to their protective care. Two peas in a pod. Jeff was insistent that the only person he would entrust to watch his dog Millie was Heczi. She was very proud of Jeff’s compassion and care. Jeff inherited these traits from Heczi, as he did his positivity and upbeat attitude. Heczi really loved this and was so proud of his successful and stable career and homelife and for being such a wonderful human and son.

Every single day, Heczi woke up and decided to be in a positive, sunshiny mood. It was a premeditated choice. And every single night, she counted her many blessings and then said her prayers. Her prayer buddies were her mother Helen, Pope Francis, and Pope Leo. Besides praying for her loved ones (all those who went before her, her children and significant others, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren), she consistently prayed for sick and abused children and animals and for love and acceptance for ALL humankind.

Heczi could have been so many other things in life, these being a Nun, a Nurse, a Crime Investigator, a Private Investigator, a Psychologist, a Political Strategist, and an Engineer. Instead, she chose a simple life. But all the while, she still shared her undeniable skills and knowledge with her biggest fans (her family) and anyone else who came her way.

Heczi considered herself a “Tough Old Bird” in her later years. Never wanting to be a burden to anyone, she lived on her own terms. She would tell anyone that she “really did have a wonderful life” and was also very GRATEFUL for it. In the end, she was a Tissue Donor…still helping those in need.

Heczi always was and will continue to be her family’s SUNSHINE. They plan to look for her signs and light every single day and lovingly accept them. Heczi was AND IS a ONE-IN-A-MILLION LOVELY LADY. The Total Package!

If anyone wishes to honor Heczi for such a remarkable, loving, purposeful, well-lived life, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or Defenders of Animal Rights (14412 Old York Road, Phoenix, MD 21131).

You can also honor’s Heczi’s life by “Being Kind To ALL Kinds – Not Just Your Own Kind,” accepting EVERYONE just like Jesus does, helping others without expecting anything in return, spreading JOY and never stealing anyone else’s JOY, telling others how they’ve made your day better and brighter, petting any dog that comes your way and making them your friend, feeding the birds, saving all struggling critters that cross your path, honoring your elders, loving your mothers, engaging your Inner Child and embracing it when you see it in others, wearing very festive and sparkly sunglasses, socks, and slippers, wearing YELLOW, bringing SUNSHINE with a welcoming smile and loving heart to anyone and everyone that you see, and having FUN!