Obituary of Thomas A. Bartush

Thomas A. Bartush Thomas A. Bartush of Wappingers Falls lost his 10 year battle with Prostate Cancer on Tuesday, February 24, 2009 at St. Francis Hospital in Poughkeepsie. He was 71. Son of Cecelia M. Bejster Bartush, and the late Adam S. Bartush, he was born on November 6, 1937 in Cumbola, Pennsylvania. He married his wife of 48 years, Eleanor Smalansky on July 23, 1960 in Port Carbon, PA. Mr. Bartush received three degrees from Penn State University. While there, he was a member of the Penn State Rifle Team. He went on to work for IBM in East Fishkill for 29 years, until his retirement. During his time with IBM, Thomas received several outstanding Contribution Awards. He was the author of three U.S. Patents and achieved several Patent Plateau Awards from IBM. He was an avid fly fisherman and golfer, formerly winning the IBM Golf Course Club Championship. Thomas was also an accomplished woodworker, carpenter and mason. He enjoyed playing his guitar and tending to his vegetable garden. Thomas is survived by his wife, Eleanor, his mother, Cecelia M. Bartush of Fort Myers, FL; his children: Thomas A. Bartush, Jr. and his wife, Judy of Fishkill, Carol A. Thomas and her husband, Arden of Wappingers Falls, Nina R. Bohan and her husband, David of Boston, MA, Jenifer M. Lombardo and her husband, Jeffrey of Keller, TX, and Amy E. Ostrowski and her husband, Stephen of Sudbury, MA; brother, Chester Bartush and his wife, Maria of Minersville, PA; sisters, Mary Ward of Fort Myers, FL, and Barbara Schlager and her husband, Thomas of Mechanicsburg, PA; grandchildren, Hannah, Charlotte, Rachel, Brad, Alyssa, Christian, Daniel, Benjamin, Conor, Isabel, Julia, Deidra, Anna, Elizabeth, Thomas, Trevor and Genevieve; and many nieces and nephews. Family will receive their friends on Friday, February 27, 2009 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Straub, Catalano & Halvey Funeral Home, 55 E. Main Street, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Saturday, February 28 at 10 a.m. at St. Mary's Church, Clinton Street in Wappingers Falls. Interment will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery, Wappingers Falls. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to American Cancer Society Man to Man support group of Poughkeepsie. Tom wants to encourage every man to get their PSA levels checked.