07/29/2024

Obituary for Rachel E. Liguzinski

Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer

Rachel E. Liguzinski (nee Mate), age 46, of Lagrange, passed away surrounded by family and friends at University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center on the afternoon of Tuesday July 23, 2024, following a lengthy and hard-fought battle with cancer.

Rachel was born in Lorain and raised in Brownhelm Township. She was a 1996 graduate of Firelands High School in Vermilion and earned an Associate of Arts Degree from the Lorain County Community College. In December of 1999 she graduated from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mortuary Science; at the commencement, she was presented with the Ohio Embalmers Association’s Lester W. Wakeman Award for excellence in the combined theory and practice of embalming.

Rachel would serve as a licensed funeral director and embalmer for twenty-three years. She covered all facets of death care from funeral home employment, trade service, as well as hospital mortuary and autopsy service management. Additionally, Rachel was a member, past President, and advisory board member of the Embalmers Association of Cleveland. At the time of her death, she was serving as the Technical Supervisor of Mortality and Autopsy Services at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland.

Rachel was an extremely smart, witty, and strong person while deeply caring of other people and animals to a fault. She was always up for a friendly debate on any topic while enjoying a cocktail. Rachel will be missed by numerous friends around the globe, especially her sons Evan and Alec, companion Bobby Rivera, mother Jackie Mate (nee Sugden), and brother Aaron Mate, Lt Col (ret), USAF (Lt Col Nikki Jansen, USAF). She was preceded in death by her father Ronald J. "Kid" Mate in 2018.

Visitation will be observed on Saturday August 3rd from 1:00 p.m. until the time of memorial services at 4:00 p.m. in the Gluvna-Shimo-Hromada Funeral Chapel - 3224 Broadway, Lorain. Reverend Chuck Behrens will officiate.

Her family encourages you to consider a donation in her memory to either the Lorain County Metro Parks - 12882 Diagonal Road, Lagrange, OH 44050, the Friendship Animal Protective League - 8303 Murray Ridge Road, Elyria, OH 44035, or to the American Cancer Society's Ohio Affiliate - P.O. Box 42217, Cincinnati, OH 45242.

To share your memories and condolences with Rachel’s family, please visit her tribute page at www.gluvnashimohromada.com.