Carol Lee Czerniski died peacefully at her home in Gilbert, Arizona, on April 9, 2026. She was 81. Born on July 13, 1944, in Pasadena, California, Czerniski spent her early years in Southern California before building a life that moved between the West’s small towns and growing suburbs. Her passing marks the close of a life defined by family commitment and sustained community involvement across several decades.
Indoor portrait of an older woman seated on a couch holding a bouquet; image accompanies the obituary listing on azcentral.com.
Czerniski grew up in Santa Ana, where she met the man who would become her husband; the couple married in 1964. Together they raised four children. Throughout the years her role as a mother remained central to her identity. Family members recall a household shaped by the routines and responsibilities of raising children as well as by the social and volunteer activities that she championed.
In 1973 the family relocated to a cattle ranch in northern Idaho, a move that reflected a shift from her Southern California roots to a more rural lifestyle. Two years later they moved to Chandler, Arizona, and in 1997 the family established residence in Gilbert, where she spent her later years. Those moves accompanied a life of changing seasons and communities, each of which she met with a willingness to involve herself in local life and projects.
Outdoor head-and-shoulders portrait of an elderly woman smiling; used in the obituaries section as a supplemental family photo.
Known to friends and family as someone with a generous heart, Czerniski often put others’ needs before her own. She was described as adoring of her family and as a social connector who brought the right people together within her circle of friends. Over the years she became a familiar presence in a variety of organizations and social groups, building networks and longstanding relationships wherever she lived.
Her civic and volunteer work spanned multiple states and a range of organizations. She was a member of the Ebell in Orange, California, and served as president of the Welcome Wagon in Sandpoint, Idaho. After moving to Arizona she participated in Women of the Word (WOW) in Tempe and later joined the Southeast Valley Women’s Club in 2013. Social activity remained a constant: she organized two Bunco groups beginning in 1976 that continued to meet long after their founding. Her volunteer efforts also extended to youth sports and school fundraisers — she served as a team mom for Mesa Pop Warner football and started Jog-Walk-A-Thon fundraisers for Rhodes Jr. High and Dobson High School. She was also active with the Chandler Service Club through the 1980s and 1990s.
Czerniski returned to the workforce in 1989 after years as a stay-at-home mother. She was hired by America West Vacations, which was part of America West Airlines, and worked there until retiring from the company. After that retirement she held positions at Naked Juice and later concluded her professional career with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Her work history reflected a transition from home-centered family life to a sequence of roles in both private enterprise and nonprofit service.
She is survived by her husband, Mike; daughters Suzie Anderson (Bob) and Jenny; son Greg (Kari); ten grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Cecil and Eleanore McIntosh, and by her sons Jeff and Steve. Family members have arranged a Celebration of Life to remember her: the service will be held Monday, July 13, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Sun Valley Community Church, 456 E. Ray Road, Gilbert, Arizona 85296. Those interested in contributing to a foundation in her memory have been asked to contact her daughter Jenny Czerniski for further information.
This obituary was posted online on July 6, 2026.