Terrence Jozwik

It is with great sadness that we share that Terry Jozwik passed away peacefully surrounded by family on March 12, 2025. He was born to Mike and Stella Jozwik on the south side of Chicago in 1952. He was the cherished husband of Kristy (nee Sinclair) for 49 years, and the devoted father of Jessica (Patrick Streeter) Jozwik and Rachel (Nick Adams) Jozwik. He was a loving brother of Dennis (Jeanne) Jozwik, fond brother-in-law of Craig (Beth) Sinclair and the late Kirk (Sharon) Sinclair. He was a dear uncle to many nieces and nephews.

Terry was a caretaker. He felt a deep spiritual connection to the natural world, demonstrated by his passion for cactuses, trees, flowers, and gardening. He diligently tended to his gardens and cactuses, and more recently to the trees of the Chicago Public Parks as a TreeKeeper. He was eager to share his knowledge and experience, and also his reverence for the connectedness of all living things. He was incredibly reflective, and strived to grow from every experience.

He tended to relationships with the same care and intention. He married the love of his life, Kris, in 1975. As a husband, he was steadfast in his love for Kris, and was the first and loudest person highlighting her strength, creativity, and compassion. Together they built a life, shared many Scrabble games throughout their travels, and welcomed two daughters that made their family complete. As a Dad, he was patient and wise. He encouraged Jess and Rachel to explore, always there to listen, nurture new interests, and support in times of challenge. He loved planning family travels, often stopping to linger at an interesting sign or an exceptional tree. Extended family was incredibly important; being a son, a sibling, a brother-in-law- and an uncle meant a lot to him. He absolutely loved being with family, especially hosting family parties with Kris to celebrate all of life’s milestones.

Terry was insatiably curious and was fascinated by history. As a child, he woke his parents up at midnight on the 100th Anniversary of Lincoln’s assassination so they could all commemorate the monumental occasion. This curiosity, intellect, and fascination with history deepened as he studied at Illinois State University to become a history teacher. Being a social studies teacher was a serious responsibility–he wanted students to be critical thinkers, have a broad knowledge of cultures, understand the weight of democracy, and act accordingly.

He was a dedicated, creative, and compassionate educator and administrator, retiring in 2016 after nearly 40 years at Glenbrook South High School. Terry was grateful for the wonderful students and colleagues he had the privilege of working with throughout his career. In his time at Glenbrook South, he taught in the Academy, coached girls track, started the Model UN program, and served as an Instructional Supervisor from 1995-2016. His intellect, curiosity, and compassion drove him to develop a diverse social studies curriculum and team of teachers. He felt that his greatest achievement was developing a World Religions class, inviting students to engage with the philosophies, traditions, and varied spiritual communities.

As a traveler and avid reader, he developed prolific knowledge about art, music, current and historic events, Chicago sports, and just about everything else. He was a smart and inviting conversationalist, and an exceptional trivia partner. Terry was thrilled to be part of the ISU teaching program in his retirement to mentor future social studies teachers. He was eager to share his knowledge and to foster the next generation of thinkers, teachers, and caretakers.

A visitation will be held Tuesday, March 18, 2025 from 3-7PM with a Memorial Service to follow at 7:00PM at Colonial Chapel, 15525 S. 73rd Ave (155th/Wheeler Dr. & Harlem) Orland Park, IL. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to Openlands/Treekeepers, 25 East Washington Street, Suite 1650 Chicago, IL 60602 would be appreciated.
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Below is a photo tribute celebrating Terry's life.



Express your thoughts and condolences at colonialchapel.com 708-532-5400