Obituary of Anna Maria Bayci
Anna Maria (Bari) Bayci, 64, of Joliet, Il., passed away after a courageous battle with leukemia, Friday, April 16, 2021, at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, with her loving husband by her side. She was born May 11, 1956, in Rockford, Ill., to the late Angelina (nee Gaziano) and Alfeo Bari, the second of seven children.
Anna attended St. Bridget School, Boylan Catholic High School (class of 1974) and the University of Illinois (class of 1978 and Masters degree in 1979). She married William “Bill” Bayci on June 26, 1982, and they became parishioners at St. Paul the Apostle Church where they remained devoted parishioners and raised their family in faith.
Anna’s first job was in the family grocery business at Courtesy Foods. She then fulfilled her passion of becoming a speech pathologist, working first in the Homewood Flossmoor school district (1979-1985) and then at United Cerebral Palsy of Will County before spending more than 30 years with Joliet District 86. She touched the lives of countless children, families and young speech pathologists. Anna finished her career at Marycrest Early Childhood Center in 2019, where she thought she could do the most good helping young children.
A proud member of a large Italian family, Anna brought her favorite dishes, “style on a discount” and treasured traditions to all the family gatherings from Loves Park reunions, to summers at CECO, to the Gaziano 12’s Thanksgiving get-togethers. She valued catching up with everyone, remembering all the conversations and sending relevant cards and newspaper clippings afterward. The loyal Illini graduate had countless tailgates, happily attended all her children’s graduations (and nieces and nephews), and flew her Illini flag outside her home.
Predeceased by her mother, Angelina and her father-in-law Robert Bayci. Survived by Bill, her loving husband of 39 years; her sons, Chris (Vanessa) Bayci and Kevin (Bethany) Bayci; daughter, Emily (Marek) Mroczek; four grandchildren, Alyssa and Colton Bayci; John and Abigail Mroczek; her centenarian father, Alfeo Bari; siblings, Andy Bari, Carmela Agnes “Aggy” (Fred) Osborne, Alfeo “Al J” Bari, Albert Bari, Amy (Ron) Dombro and Angela (Jim) Stewart; mother-in-law, Natalie Bayci; sisters-in-law, Nancy (Kelly) Campbell, Barb (Joe) Gawenda; brothers-in-law, Jim (Debbie) Bayci and Mike (Liz) Bayci; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Anna valued family above all else and her happiest moments were spent with her children and grandchildren. The proud mom relished gaining three children-in-law who she loved as her own and becoming the beloved “Grandma Anna” of her cherished grandchildren.
Special thanks to the dedicated medical and nursing staff at Rush University Medical Center for their compassion and care during her recent illness.
Visitation for Anna will be held Friday, April 23, 2021 from 3-8 p.m. at the Fred C. Dames Funeral Home, 3200 Black Rd. (at Essington Rd.) Joliet. Funeral services are Saturday, April 24, 2021, beginning at 10 a.m. at the funeral home. Then will move to the St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, 18 N. Woodlawn Ave., Joliet where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Interment will take place at a later date. Facemasks and social distancing will be required at the funeral home and church. The service will be live-streamed http://bit.ly/annabaycimass.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Anna’s name may be made to St. Paul’s Joliet or the Leukemia Research Foundation.
For more information, please call (815) 741-5500 or visit her Memorial Tribute where you can share a favorite memory or leave condolences.
