Visitation Information

Ramona Toczylowski, "Mona"

Passed away on February 12, 2025

Ramona (Styber) Toczylowski, beloved wife of Michael Toczylowski; loving step mother to Jeremy (Sandy) and Alison (Andrew); deeply loved grandmother to Julian, Gabriella, and Ruby; preceded in death by her sweet parents  Louise (Cusimino) and Cyril Styber; cherished twin sister of Robin (Mark) Reinstein, Kim (Leslie) Delya, beloved aunt to Noah (Lindsey) and Joshua (Maria) Reinstein and Zachary Delya. Great aunt to Audrey, Arlo, and Theo.  Mona loved her people–her best friends, her neighbors, her colleagues, her LMS support group, but most importantly, her family.  

Born in Chicago at St. Bernard’s Hospital just three minutes after her twin sister Robin, Mona entered the world knowing she had good work to do. Her dad always referred to Mona as Boss; Robin and Mona were nicknamed Twinkle and Dreamer. Years later, Kim would join their little family and Mona and Robin would playfully charge money to see their new baby sister.  Thus began the sweet and imaginative life these sisters would build together. Their family bond remained impenetrable and the attention and affection they shared with one another remained admirable. Mona was a dreamer in the best sense, imagining a life filled with laughter and love and the best situations and scenarios for all the people with whom she shared hers.  Any place that Mona lived is where her heart resided.  Whether it was her childhood home in Harvey, her first home she owned in Calumet City, or the home she loved most in St. John with Mike, Mona loved making a house a home in every regard. Even where she and Mike vacationed for decades, Harbor was “her island” and she adorned many corners of their St. John home with seashells on the sand and pictures of the beaches they loved to endlessly stroll.  With the deep, committed love she had for Mike, they built a beautiful life together and forever modeled that family always comes first.  Mona always knew what people needed before they knew what they needed themselves. This is what made her such a special person and remained a cornerstone of her humble and big-hearted nature.

We all believed Mona had a magic touch–her imagination knew no bounds.  From giving names to anything from her stuffed animals to her car, Mona filled her life’s moments with creativity and care. Aside from being a born artist, she was also an amazing conversationalist. Mona could chat endlessly about any subject, but the focus was never about her. Her sister's texts and Saturday morning calls were affectionately named the Sisters Yakety Yaks. And Yak they did about anything and everything under the sun.  Ask any one of her nephews, grandkids, relatives, for friends, Mona used her gifts to make people feel special.  With whomever she engaged, she shared her light even when hers began to grow dim from the cancer she fought.  With unwavering faith, she kept the dream of recovery alive and fought until there was no more fight left in her. 

Mona’s legacy of goodness will remain with each one of us.  Mike believed that Mona made everything look and feel nicer. Amazing cook, baker, card maker, and of course the best gift giver ever begins the lengthy list of things we will always love about her. Above all else, Mona will be remembered for being the best wife Mike could have ever asked for. For 37 years, it was always Mike and Mona–rarely would one name be mentioned without the other.  Of all the other loving shoes she gladly filled as gramma, sister, stepmother, aunt, or friend, she will be loved infinitely.  Mona dreamed the best life for herself and others, and for as long as stars grace the sky, we will all continue to dream her alive in ours.  

Visitation Friday, February 21, 2025 from 11:30 am until time of service at 2:30 pm at the Elmwood Funeral Chapel 11300 W. 97th Ln. (1/2 block west of US 41/Wicker Ave. at 97th Ln.) St. John. 

In lieu of flowers, Mike and the sisters ask that donations be made to Mona’s Tribute Fund for the  Leimyosarcoma Support & Direct Research Foundation.