Phyllis "Jeanne" Dzienciol

Phyllis “Jeanne” Dzienciol, 89 of Indianapolis, died peacefully at home on Sunday, September 17, 2023.  She was born in 1934 in Granite City, Illinois to Harry and Louise (Pais) Serfas.

Jeanne graduated from Granite City High. After high school, she attended Miss Hickey’s Secretarial School.  She was one of the first three women to finish the nine-month secretarial program in just six months. She was a secretary at Illinois Power and after her children were older, she was a secretary for St. Louis Preparatory Seminary North in Florissant, Missouri and later on was a florist at Kroger.

Jeanne met Norbert M. Dzienciol at a USO dance at Scott Air Force Base and was married in May 1957 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Granite City, Illinois.  They were happily married for 65 years.  Norbert and Jeanne loved to dance. Jeanne said she wanted to slow dance with Norbert’s arms around her in Heaven, now she has her wish.

Jeanne was a devoted wife and a wonderful and supportive mom and grandma.  She loved playing the slots at Indiana casinos, doing crossword puzzles, playing Pinochle, Mousetrap and Rummikub, watching the birds, and was an avid reader.  She was a patron of the symphony and live theatre.  She will be remembered as a great cook, for her artistic talent, her inner strength, and being the “Queen of puns”. 

Jeanne was a devout Catholic with a special devotion to Our Blessed Mother Mary.  She instilled strong Catholic traditions in her family.  She would pray the rosary daily and she spiritually adopted babies in danger of being aborted.  She was a member of St. Barnabas Catholic Church since 1980 and helped with the funeral luncheon committee for several years. 

Jeanne is preceded in death by her parents; Harry and Louise (Pais) Serfas and her beloved husband Norbert M. Dzienciol.  She is survived by her children; Ann (Frank) Merlenbach, Michael Dzienciol, Philip (Diane) Dzienciol, Lisa Coville, Andrew (Dzienciol) Harte; siblings Dorothy Anne “Annie” (Jim) Spurrier, Harry (Sandy)Serfas, sister-in-law of Noreen Zalewski and her beloved grandchildren, great-grandchildren, aunt, uncle, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Visitation of Jeanne will be Sunday, September 24, 2023, from 4 – 7 PM at O’Riley Branson Funeral Service, 6107 S. East Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46227.  Mass of Christian Burial will be Monday, September 25 at 10 AM at St. Barnabas Catholic Church, 8300 Rahke Road, Indianapolis, Indiana 46217.  Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. 

Memorials in Jeanne’s name may be made to St. Meinrad Seminary, https://4agc.com/donation_pages/2466b1b6-3ebd-4ff6-bacf-9876ee58b668

Please visit www.OrileyBranson.com to share a favorite memory or to sign the online guest registry.

 Jeanne favorite saying is: “You start out as two and you end up as two.”