YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – Barbara A. Bartolovich, 82, passed away Tuesday afternoon, December 21, 2021, at Mercy Health-St. Elizabeth Health Center in Boardman.
Barbara was born February 5, 1939, in New Castle, Pennsylvania, a daughter of John and Anna Winter Eckert.
Raised in New Castle, Barbara was a graduate of New Castle High School, Class of 1957.
She met the love of her life, Frank “Moose” Bartolovich at Idora Park. They were married, during a snowstorm, in a small church in Winchester, West Virginia, on December 29. Frank and Barbara enjoyed many years of wedded bliss until his passing in 2014. Recently, on a family get-away, Barbara revisited the church and took joy in sharing her memories of their wedding with her family.
In 1987, after her children were grown, Barbara decided to work outside the home and was employed for many years as a sales clerk for the petite department of Strouss and later, Kaufman’s, at the Southern Park Mall.
She was an active member of St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in New Middletown.
Family was very important to Barbara and she cherished her role as a wife, mother and grandmother. A little firecracker, Barbara was always raring to go for family gatherings, vacations and impromptu outings. She was their support system throughout life and she taught them many lessons. Barbara’s motto was, “There is nothing so bad in life that can’t be fixed.” She was considered cool and fun to her grandchildren and they described her as “to know her was to love her and to be loved by her was the most special feeling in the world. She made every one of us feel special in her own Nana way.” Barbara will greatly be missed by her family and they will carry her wonderful memory in their hearts forever.
Barbara leaves behind her four children and their spouses, Terri L. (Greg) Strzelecki of Hartland, Ohio, John (Donna) Bartolovich of Twinsburg, Ohio, Kimberly (John) Gepper of Waldo, Ohio and Frank, (Lisa) Bartolovich of Fairfield, Ohio; ten grandchildren, Lauren (Thomas) Nash, Morgan Grondin, Kayla (Joshua) Pool, Travis (Erika) Carter, Kaitlin, Andrew, Brooke, Halle, Brian and Noah Bartolovich and five great-grandchildren, Murphy Grondin, Peyton and Emerson Nash and Lily and August Carter.
In addition to her parents and husband, Barbara was preceded in death by her sister, Kathryn Conti.
A private Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, with Father Stephen Zeigler, officiating.
Interment will follow at the Poland Riverside Cemetery.
Contributions may be made to the PAN Foundation, P.O. Box 716408, Philadelphia, PA 19171.
Arrangements handled by Becker Funeral Homes.
To send flowers to Barbara’s family, please visit our floral store.
A television tribute will air Monday, December 27 at the following approximate times: 7:10 a.m. on FOX, 12:22 p.m. on WKBN, 5:08 p.m. on MyYTV and 7:27 p.m. on WYTV.