Angela Day Zylka's Obituary
Angela Day Zylka (nee Roepke) passed away peacefully at Keystone Place in Edwardsville on January 18th, 2025 after a long battle with cancer. Angela was born on March 13th, 1949 in St. Louis, Missouri, the first child of Robert Roepke and Angela Tolkacz. Angela grew up in Edwardsville, Illinois and was a graduate of Edwardsville High School, Barat College of the Sacred Heart and The American College of Switzerland. After college she became one of the first female prescription drug reps for Park Davis in Minnesota.
In 1976 she married the love of her life, Michael Zylka at the Old Cathedral in St. Louis, Missouri. The beautiful candle-lit ceremony was briefly overshadowed when the groom swept his new bride up to carry her out of church, inadvertently catching her dress on fire while passing a candelabra. Always quick in a crisis, Michael put her down and put her out. He was, from then on, her protector and her partner. After helping support Michael through medical school, Angela gave birth to their first child, Anastasia in 1986 followed by twins Alexandra and Peter in 1988. The following fourteen years were filled with ski trips in Vail, Colorado, summers at Pelican Lake in Minnesota and building a gift basket business in Webster Groves, Missouri where they raised their family.
After Michael’s sudden passing in 2003, Angela continued to serve as part of the Missouri State Medical Alliance, working on projects focused on ending food shortages for veterans and drug abuse education. Another organization close to her heart was the Loyola Academy of St. Louis where she tutored and mentored through the Voices of Excellence program which focused on teaching middle schoolers how to become great writers and speakers. Her favorite things in the world were traveling, shopping and talking to anyone and everyone about her adored granddaughters, Lucy, Rose, Iris and Molly Zylka and Margot Hilldreth.
In addition to her children and grandchildren, Angela is survived by a sister, Catherine Roepke Taylor of Edwardsville and a brother Keith Roepke of Chesterfield as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. A memorial mass will be held this spring at a date to be announced shortly. Those who wish to make memorial contributions in her name may direct them to the Loyola Academy of St. Louis.
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