Wilma Baranchik

Wilma fell asleep in the Lord on October 18, 2023.  Born in Belle Valley, Ohio on April 23, 1926, she lived most of her life in the Tallmadge area. 

Babysitting at a very young age, brought her to Akron, in order to help with the finances back home.  Other jobs later took her to Franklin Dale, B F Goodrich, where she developed the skill of making anti-icers for war planes, Montgomery Ward Men’s Department, and Goodyear Aerospace in electronics (being one of the top employees to work on the delicate circuit boards for military planes), from where she retired.

Wilma graduated from East High School on D-Day, though her heart forever remained in her original home town with her Belle Valley classmates, with whom she celebrated each year at their Alumni Banquet until Covid arrived. 

Throughout her 97 years of life, she was a hard worker, loved her family, loved her church, and loved God.  Her internal strength and drive set an example for all those around her.  Wilma was a giver, always helping anyone who had a need, never attending a function empty-handed, and was known to have little extra Christmas gifts tucked away, “just in case someone extra shows up during the holidays”.  

Having been raised during the Great Depression, she possessed skills others today only hear about.  She could definitely stretch a meal, always made dishes “the way my mother cooked”, and always said, “You have to add onions for flavor!”.   She lived by the belief that a person could handle anything life brought, by just saying a prayer, and following that with a good hot cup of tea (with milk!).  

She was a confidant to most everyone, but especially to her family, who could pore out their hearts and troubles to her, and she would commiserate, advise, comfort, or just listen, always keeping their secrets to herself, and somehow, they could walk away feeling so much better because “she knew”.

After retiring from Loral, she enjoyed bowling with other retirees, and her happy place was working in the yard throughout all 4 seasons.  As so many do, she battled her share of adversities throughout her life, one of the most frightening to her was losing sight in one eye, but one of the big ones was winning the war against cancer.  Through all of her difficulties, her most repeated line was always, “If Jesus had to suffer, why would I think I should be any different?”. Her strong life-long faith and trust in God helped her through it all, her spirit strengthened by her daily prayers to God.   For many years, she sang in the church choir, and in recent years enjoyed worshipping with the loving community of St Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church in Barberton, until age made it difficult to attend.

Wilma leaves behind, for now, her pride and joy, her son, Ronald (Jackie); grandchildren, Brooke (Ryan) and Patrick; many nieces and nephews, especially Jean, who she raised like a daughter and who will be indebted to her forever; many great-nieces and nephews, including Nicholas (Emy) and Natalie (Mike); as well as great-great-nieces and nephews, and a great-great-great niece and nephew, all who will miss her dearly. 

She will now join her parents, Vasil (William) and Helen, and all her siblings, as she was the last surviving among them of the Greatest Generation:  Anne, Mary, John, Michael, Peter, William, Julia, Andrew, Helen, Margaret, Pauline, Nicholas, Paul, and Irene.

The family wishes to thank her caregivers at The Gardens of Cuyahoga Falls, her Summa Hospice care nurses, and her favorite cardiologist, Dr Kevin Silver (who she boasts saved her life years ago). 

May she rest now in the Father’s love, as she awaits those wonderful words, “Well done my good and faithful servant.  Enter in to the joy of your Master.”   (Matthew 25:21)  “Vicnaja Pamjat – Blessed repose and eternal memory.” 

Visitation will be 10:00 until 11:00a.m., Wednesday, October 25, 2023 at the Donovan Funeral Home, 17 Southwest Ave. (On the Historic Tallmadge Circle).

Funeral service will follow visitation at the funeral Home with Fr. Miron officiating.

Interment will be at Tallmadge Cemetery.

Donations may be made in Wilma’s memory to St Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church, 1051 Robinson Ave, Barberton, OH 44203, Guiding Eyes for the Blind, 611 Granite Springs Road, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, or your favorite Charity.

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