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ASHLAND – Kathleen, Kathy (Mehlman) Czajka, 66, of Milford and formerly, of Ashland, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 26, 2022 at her home, after a brief illness.  

She was born in Framingham to her loving parents, her mother Helen (Malloy) Smith, her father, Arthur Mehlman, and later cared for and loved by her stepfather Leslie Smith.  She was the loving mother of John Czajka, who predeceased her in 1999, Kristina (Czajka) Ferrioli, and her husband, Bill of Monroe, No. Carolina, Keith Czajka of Benson, No. Carolina, and Leslie (Czajka) Weeks of Milford.

She is survived by her siblings, Arthur Mehlman II and his wife Sandra of Natick , Cheryl Mehlman of Framingham, and Harold Smith and his wife Donna of Marlborough. She was predeceased by her Stepbrother Leslie Smith, Jr.  She leaves behind her beloved grandchildren, Alexa Weeks of Milford, Christopher Weeks and girlfriend Alexa Jordan  of  Uxbridge,  Nicholas Ferrioli, and Iris Autrey of Monroe,  No. Carolina, and  her nieces, Sophia Smith McFadden of Sudbury, Jennifer Mehlman of Natick, and a nephew Russell Smith of Framingham, Kelly Smith of Livermore Falls,  Harrison, Me., and several  great nieces and a great nephew.   She also leaves numerous loving cousins, and a great group of friends from Ashland high school, and many other friends she met along her life’s journey. And she leaves a special extended family from Wellesley, the family of Natalie and Arthur Benoit.

She went through 12 grades of school in Ashland, and graduated from Ashland High School.  

She became a mother/wife, very young, and was off to Germany with her husband and baby son at the time. She came home and had her 3 other children and as they went off to school she went off to work.  She worked at Marconi’s for several years, and made many friends there, had many laughs and social gatherings with her friends from there. Later, she went on to get an Associate’s degree at Newbury College while working at Northeast Gas.  She attempted a couple other professions but, at last, settled on working for TJX Corporation in Framingham, from where she retired.   

She was a strong, independent woman, had a great sense of humor and loved to socialize.  She had some wonderful times in the N.H. White Mountains growing up.  The beach, oceanside, that was her happy place.  She enjoyed socializing with her high school friends over the years, antiquing, and taking care of her grandchildren as they grew up. She had several visits to No. Carolina to visit her younger grandchildren and they came up to visit her to have some fun with Nana at various children venues in the area.  She was loved by her family and many friends and will be terribly missed by everyone.

Family and friends will honor and remember Kathy’s  Life by gathering for a time of visitation at McCarthy, McKinney & Lawler Funeral Home, 11 Lincoln Street in Framingham on Saturday, November 5 from 4 to 7 p.m., with a brief memorial service at 6 p.m..  Interment will be private.

For online tributes or to share a memory with Kathleen’s family, kindly visit www.mccarthyfh.com

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By editor

Susan Petroni is the former editor for SOURCE. She is the founder of the former news site, which as of May 1, 2023, is now a self-publishing community bulletin board. The website no longer has a journalist but a webmaster.