Jeanne Celeste Laskowski

December 11, 1954 - September 24, 2024

J. Celeste (“Bunny”) Laskowski, 69, passed away peacefully the evening of Tuesday, September 24, 2024. She was surrounded by her family. Surviving are her husband; Larry Laskowski, sons; Ben (Morgan) Laskowski and Joe Laskowski, daughter; Eileen (David Carlson) Laskowski, brothers; Leon (Nancy) Petelle and Joseph Petelle, sisters; Cathy Petelle, Maggie Marzec and Anne Petelle and grandson; William.

Celeste loved God with her whole being, and to know her closely was to find a sense of peace and the presence of God within her. For those in need of prayer, she was a welcome prayer partner and prayer warrior. It was often said of Celeste that you could call on her at any time in need of prayer, and she would pray with you, and it would all work out okay. She found strength in and adored the Blessed Mother.

Celeste was a very loving person, and she loved her children – Ben, Eileen, and Joe – and her husband – Larry – with all of her heart. She was a friend to – and serious advocate for – each of her three children. Through her patient understanding and care, she fostered their individual talents, personalities, and abilities. She adopted and loved her children’s partners as her own – finding love and admiration for their distinct beauties and abilities – and she delighted in the birth of her first grandson, William.

After her children and her husband, Celeste loved everyone else. She was selfless, and she found great joy in helping others. One of her most cherished acts of service was to take Holy Communion to those sick or homebound on Sundays after Mass.

Celeste believed fiercely in education. She was smart and worked hard to put herself through college, earning a degree that would enable her to teach second grade at Holy Cross Catholic School in South Bend, Indiana, a vocation which she loved. She looked out for her students and often spoke about them as if they were her own children. A dedicated teacher, she often would share her lunch with her students because she knew that children could not learn while hungry. Throughout her life, she would volunteer her time to help others learn to read. It was said that she had a gentle teaching style that was all her own, and her students would often be reading within days.

Celeste was full of incredible joy, and she had an infectious smile. She stood by people in the worst of times and was very generous. She took all the good things in life and lived up to them. 

She had a free spirit. Traveling with Celeste, you might find her standing on the shoreline of Lake Michigan or a mountain lake gazing out past the horizon as if she knew there was something greater than herself. She enjoyed watching thunderstorms and the movement of waves in the water. She loved violin music – the haunting kind that tells a story in the melody.

In a home video, walking with her husband, Larry, on the shore of Lake Michigan, you could see their footprints together in the sand. The camera turns to Bunny – Larry is filming – and you hear Larry say, “Bunny, who does the lake belong to?” She turns and smiles and replies, “God.”

Visitation times will be 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday, October 1, 2024 at Divine Mercy Funeral Home, 3500 Lake Ave., Fort Wayne, Indiana, with a rosary prayed at 1:30 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday October 2, 2024 at Queen of Angels Catholic Church, 1500 W. State Blvd., Fort Wayne, Indiana, preceded with a prayer service at 9:30 a.m. at Divine Mercy Funeral Home. Burial will be in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in South Bend, Indiana. Memorials in honor of Celeste may be made to Queen of Angels Catholic School for tuition assistance, or to Saint Anne Home and Retirement Community. The family would like to thank Saint Anne Home for the care that she received.

10/01/2024 DEC

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