Demariest “Dee” Ann (Horn) Czapek, age 92, passed away peacefully on January 9, 2025. She was born December 22, 1932, in Mackinac Island, Michigan, to Raymond “Ty” and Evangeline “Ling” (Marshall) Horn, she was the first of seven children.
Dee was born and raised on Mackinac Island, Michigan, where she adored wonderful friendships and shenanigans with family. It was on the island that she met her handsome hunk, Richard “Dick” Czapek, who was stationed there with the United States Coast Guard. They were magnetic; he was smitten with her and treated her like a queen. They married quickly and couldn’t keep their hands off of each other.
Dick and Dee set up their household in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in the suburb of Kentwood. The Czapek household was always bustling with teenagers as they hosted Dee’s younger siblings Ed, Doug, Joe, Candy, and Tim while they attended high school in Grand Rapids. Dee worked in the head office for Meijer, where she made many longtime friends.
In 1986, Dick and Dee sold their Kentwood home and moved to their retirement residence on Mackinac Island. Neither of them were ready to “retire,” but they truly enjoyed the change of pace. Dee went to work at First National Bank, where her aptitude for numbers and chatting were put to excellent use. Island life suited Dick and Dee just fine. Dee spent many evenings visiting the homes of family and friends, stopping her bicycle for chats as she encountered them in the streets, and at bingo twice a week.
They wintered in Gulf Shores, Alabama, for three months each winter, staying in the same condo each year. They loved hosting family and friends, showing them around to all the region’s pottery, crystal, and shoe shops, in addition to many memorable lunches at all the best local restaurants.
After some time, island life became more difficult for their aging bodies to maneuver. Dick and Dee decided to sell their island home and truly retire back downstate. They spent twenty years enjoying time closer to life’s conveniences and many of their children and grandchildren and continuing their snowbird lifestyle. Most days included an outing to lunch. Dee enjoyed shopping and filling their home with many collections. She will be lovingly remembered for always having a large gold coin on a long chain around her neck, along with fingers, wrists and ears adorned with beautiful jewelry, and for passing out Beanie Babies as if they were candy.
Dee lost her brave, hunky, husband in June of 2020. She has been eagerly awaiting their reunion ever since.
Dee is survived by their children, Steven (Jeanne), Sue, Michael (Mary), Kathy (Tim Hamlin), and Ray (Lisa).
Dee and Dick are also survived by and were the proud grandparents of twenty-one grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren.
Dee is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Richard “Dick” Czapek; parents, Ty and Ling Horn; brother-in-law, Bill Smith; niece, DeeDee Russel; brother-in-law, Grant Simmons; great-nephew, Michael; brother, Doug Horn; nephew, Kirk Smith; sister-in-law, Linda Horn; and sister, Jane Simmons.
A graveside service will be held in Ste. Anne’s Catholic Cemetery on Mackinac Island on May 10, 2025 in the afternoon.
Family Life Funeral Homes assisted the family with arrangements. Condolences may be left to the family at www.familylifefh.com.
