Susan June Bartak

Susan June Bartak, (nee Davis, nee Yonker) 85 of Hammond, Indiana passed away peacefully on November 19, 2019, with her family by her side.  

She was born to John and Agnes Davis on January 31, 1934 in Lansing Illinois.  Susan was the youngest of eight children (Elmer, Elsie, Carl, Arnold, Dave, Ruth, and Eula) and the last living sibling.  They can all now be together once again. 

Susan is survived by her four children.  Crystine Gomez (Oscar), Marie Kidd (Kenny), John Yonker (Patricia) and Patrick Yonker.  She had eleven grandchildren.   Alexander Gomez (Katherine), Christopher Gomez (Janessa), Timothy Gomez (Marisela), James Thompson (Iris), Michael Brandenburg, Johnathan Brandenburg, Brian Brandenburg (Allison), Michael Yonker, Lil Yonker, Kenneth Kidd and Peggy Kidd.   

 She had sixteen great grandchildren: Noah, Johanna, Jonah, Wesley, Lilian, Augustus, Ruby, Aviana, Adelina, Amiyah, Jeremiah, Andrew, Anais, Logan, Lucas and AJ.

Susan graduated high school at the age of sixteen, went on to Purdue University Lafayette to study nursing.  She was married to Joseph Yonker.  She was eventually remarried to Robert Bartak.  Susan had amazing talent.  She loved crafts.  She crocheted beautiful blankets, tablecloths, baby booties, you name it.  She loved quilting, jigsaw puzzles, playing cards, Yahtzee, embroidery, and just being creative.  A close family friend would always tell her: “Susan you have beautiful hands” because everything she made was beautifully crafted. She had such talent.  She never missed watching the Indy 500 every year.  She taught her children to value handmade things.  She was a ceramic teacher for years.  She enjoyed helping others learn and create keepsakes.  Susan later became a manager and even waitressed for a while.  She ended up retiring and moving to Wisconsin to be near her sister Eula. 

Susan had a very caring nature about her.  Her memory may have faded but her heart never did. There isn’t anything she wouldn’t do for her children or grandchildren.  She was a mother and grandmother to many more than just her biological children.  She was everyone’s grandma.  She cherished spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, often having dance sessions with them. She loved to dance, that’s actually one of the reason’s Joseph fell in love with her. 

Susan was a strong-willed woman who never backed down from a challenge and was very well respected by all those who knew her.   Susan leaves behind a beautiful, loving family, and they all inherited many qualities from her, that have also been passed down to their children.  She may be gone but she will not be forgotten. 

“There is one thing that Alzheimer’s cannot takeaway, and that is love.  Love is not a memory-it’s a feeling that resides in your heart and soul.”

Viewing will be held Monday, November 25 at Ridgelawn Funeral home, 4201 West Ridge Road, Gary IN 46408 219-980-5555.  Viewing is from 11:30am to 1:30pm.  Services will be 1:30pm -2:30pm with burial immediately following.  Burial is at Ridgelawn Cemetery. 

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