Gerda "Kitty" Hlavaty Syzmanski

Gerda “Kitty” Hlavaty Syzmanski (née Moll) died peacefully in her apartment at Pee Dee Gardens on October 5, 2024. She was born in Ulm, Germany in 1939 and lived there with her family. While working at Telefunken she met her first husband Donald, and the couple were married in 1959. Their son, Daniel was born in Augsburg and shortly thereafter the family moved to the United States. The couple had 4 more children, Diane, Dawn, Donna and Denise over the ensuing years. Kitty worked as a librarian at the Kewaskum Public Library, where she shared her passion for books and reading with the public. Donald passed away in 1998 shortly after their granddaughter, Katie, was born. After numerous trips to visit Katie and her parents, Kitty decided to move to Florence, South Carolina to be closer to them. There she met her second husband, William “Bill” Syzmanski. The couple were married in 2003 and split their time between Florence and Tampa Bay. When not traveling, they were often seen dancing at the local VFWs (or Legions), one of their favorite pastimes, until William passed in 2019. Kitty loved reading, gardening, knitting and cooking and shared her knowledge and the results of her work with everyone she encountered. Kitty is predeceased by brothers Hans and Leopold Moll. She is survived by her sister Inge, brother Dieter, children, granddaughter, and numerous beloved nieces and nephews in Germany. The family would like to extend their gratitude for the kindness and support the staff at Pee Dee Gardens had shown Kitty in her time there. Even in the end, Kitty’s joy and zest for life could be felt in her smile and laughter by all those lucky enough to know her. Please sign the Guest Book for the family at www.stoudenmiredowling.com.