Rosemary Anne (Yallech) Sontich

Poland - A mass of Christian Burial will be held Tuesday, June 19 at 10 am at Holy Family Catholic Church in Poland for Rosemary Anne (Yallech) Sontich, who died on June 13, 2018 surrounded by her family at St. Elizabeth Hospital.

Born on December 22, 1931 in Youngstown, the daughter of Joseph and Helen (Matta) Yallech, Rosemary grew up in Struthers with her parents and sister Dorothy.

She married Attorney Joseph P. Sontich on November 30, 1957 and they raised three children in Poland. She graduated from Struthers High School and earned a bachelor's degree at Kent State University, and served as president of Chi Omega Sorority.

Rosemary worked alongside her father at Yallech Lumber Company, and then managed Yellow Creek Properties while staying active in tennis, skiing, playing music and volunteer positions.  She served as President of the former Friends of American Art at the Butler Institute of American Art, and volunteered with the Youngstown Playhouse. She was a member of Holy Family Parish.

She loved fine art, painting, photography, music, and traveling with her family.  She played with the Od Srca Tamburitza Orchestra for 35 years in America and Croatia. Rosemary treasured time with family and friends at her lake house, Tarry-A-While, in Conneaut, Ohio.

Rosemary leaves behind her son Joseph Jr. (Susan) of Aurora, her daughter Nancy (Milton) Lenhart of Younstown, her daughter Caryn May of Mason, Ohio, her granddaughter Joy Sontich of Cleveland Heights, her grandson Calder Lenhart of Youngstown, her sister-in-law Mary Sontich of Lansing, Michigan, her brother-in-law Dr. Howard Groshell of Jacksonville, Florida, and beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins.

In addition to her parents Joseph and Helen, Rosemary was predeceased by her husband Joseph in May of this year, her sister Dorothy, Stephen and Zora Sontich, Josephine Sontich, Daisy and John Zaluski, Tillie and Leonard Svetlak, Steven Sontich, Michael and Anna Boris, and John and Viive Sontich.

Her family will receive friends at the Cunningham-Becker Funeral Home, Poland Chapel, on Monday, June 18 from 5 to 7 p.m. and will gather for a brief prayer service there at 9:15 a.m. on June 19 before proceeding to the church. A graveside service will then follow at Poland Riverside Cemetery immediately following her funeral mass.

Rosemary's family wishes to thank her caregivers at St. Elizabeth Hospital and also her special Od Srca friends who were by her side when she became ill.