Kathy Stelluto

On August 5th, 2024, our beloved Kathy Stelluto (Barvitski) was welcomed into heaven. She was born in Youngstown, Ohio on October 3rd, 1950, to Ruth and William Barvitski. She grew up in Youngstown with her sister Caron (Hutch) Ramage, and her brother William Barvitski.  After graduating from Boardman high school in 1968 she attended Ohio University. Kathy was a visionary, who started and owned two successful businesses. She started professional demonstrators, a food and product demonstration business, which supported around 50 women. When a recession hit, she needed another avenue to provide for her workforce. Her mother Ruth had suffered a stroke and needed a home health care aid to help her with her daily life needs. Having difficulty finding caring and responsible caretakers, she seized the opportunity and on Nov 4th, 1999, started Loving Hands Home Care which she directed until 2020 when she retired.  Although Kathy was a single mom, she still made time to help others. She and her sister Caron volunteered teaching religion at the Leonard Kirtz school for children with developmental disabilities. Later, when the “Head Start” program was created, she volunteered teaching the English language to pre-school students.  Kathy has always loved children of all ages and often babysat nieces, nephews, and neighbors’ children. Children sensed her caring ways and how special she made them feel and loved her for it.  Kathy was also a lover of animals, growing up with pets such as a lamb, duck, and rabbits. Kathy never met a dog she couldn’t pet, and enjoyed babysitting Marlee, her grandson Michaels’ Labradoodle. She recently lost her much loved cat Zoro, who entertained her daily.  Kathy was an accomplished skier, descending mountains in Europe, Canada, and the U.S. She was a member of the Warren Ski Club for 40 years where she made countless friendships. She also enjoyed boating and scuba diving and has been diving in the Caribbean, and the great barrier reef in Australia and Hawaii.  She was a member of the Youngstown Country Club, where she would often organize family social events. On most Mondays you could find her playing cards at Belleria, with a group of friends named the “Belleria Babes.”  Her “happy place” was her condo on the beach on Lido Key in Sarasota, FL where she enjoyed spending time with family and friends, as well as walks on the beach. Kathy enjoyed making meals for family and friends and was famous for her soups. She would always make enough to take to friends and “shut ins” as she always thought of others.  Kathy is survived by her devoted spouse of 14 years Robert Mertz, her brother William Barvitski (Maggie); her sister, Caron Hutch-Ramage (Bill); her son, Michael Stelluto (Melissa) and her grandchildren Michael Stelluto Jr. and Adria Stelluto. As well as many nieces, nephews and eleven grand nieces and nephews, who she referred to as her adopted grandchildren.  She is preceded in death by her parents, William and Ruth Barvitski and her son Joseph Stelluto II.  Friends may call from 11:00 – 1:00 p.m. Saturday, August 24, 2024, at the Lane Family Funeral Homes, Austintown Chapel where a memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m.  In lieu of flowers donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Kathy’s memory https://www.stjude.org/donatenow.   To leave condolences to the family please visit www.lanefuneralhomes.com