Marlene Ann Battaglia 1944-2026

Marlene was born Feb. 21, 1944, in Youngstown, a daughter of William and Eva Detell Massaro. Marlene married her beloved husband, Dominic Battaglia of Girard, on a sunny summer day, June 22, 1968, at St. Dominic Church in Youngstown. Marlene was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, teacher, friend, confidant and helper. Her life was filled with deep faith, love, selflessness and compassion.

Marlene proudly graduated from St. Dominic Grade School and Cardinal Mooney High School, Class of 1962, where she made so many beautiful lifelong friends. She went on to graduate with her bachelor’s degree in education from Youngstown University. While working as a full-time teacher at St. Dominic School, she obtained her master’s degree in education from Westminster College.

Marlene was then a stay-at-home mom with her girls for eight years. When she returned to teaching, she spent the majority of her career teaching seventh-grade math and then sixth-grade reading at St. Mary Middle School in Warren. It was at St. Mary where she made the best teacher friends ever and taught so many amazing students whom she loved. Marlene was a dedicated teacher who was loved right back by her students and who affectionately referred to her as “Mrs. B.”

While raising her daughters and continuing throughout her entire life, she was deeply dedicated to both of them. Marlene would sew cute clothes for her girls when they were very young, would always have supper made for her family by 4:15 p.m. every night and would be there for all of them every step of the way. To her daughters, she was their mother, teacher, guide, calming presence, cheerleader, mall shopping mate, family room tent maker and their best secret keeper.

When Marlene became a grandma to her preemie twin grandchildren, she became a second mother to them as well, helping her daughter with all aspects of their care from the time they were babies and throughout their school years.

Marlene never missed a game, a play or a ceremony for any of her children or grandchildren. She loved to laugh and to help others. She volunteered for many years at the St. Vincent de Paul Soup Kitchen in Trumbull County, both serving meals and making the monthly schedule of groups to serve.

Marlene also always kept in contact with her relatives and friends and would make a point to schedule “visits” with them all during either her Christmas break or summer break. One of the visits to which she would most look forward was her annual trip to Livonia, Michigan, with her mother and daughters to stay with her sister and family for a week.

One of her other most cherished “getaways” was to travel with her husband for a week each fall to a cabin at Geneva-on-the-Lake. She loved to stay in that little cabin on the lake while her husband would fish and she would read and go shopping at the quaint little shops, especially Catherine’s Christmas Shoppe, where she would begin her annual Christmas shopping for her children and grandchildren every year.

Above all else, the two most important things to Marlene were her family and her faith. She taught her daughters and grandchildren to love God and to love others. She was quick to forgive and even quicker to volunteer to help.

She loved to cook and bake. Every Sunday morning, the entire house would smell of sauteed garlic, her homemade sauce simmering in the saucepan for hours, and her homemade meatballs (made with crumbled homemade oven-dried bread) frying on the stovetop, all while the “Italian hour” songs were playing softly on the radio. Those Sunday morning sights, scents and dishes with Mom will surely be among her family’s fondest memories for years to come.

Marlene leaves to cherish her memory her husband, Dominic; her daughters, Angela (Troy) Bury and Theresa (Michael) Fletcher; her grandchildren, Sofia Lanzo and James Dominic Lanzo; her step-grandchildren, Logan Bury and Sam Bury; her sister-in-law, Catherine Christy; her brother-in-law, Raymond Battaglia; cousins, including Janice Nemergut and Mary Lou Hartzell; and many beloved nieces, nephews and friends.

Marlene was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Loretta “Lori” Courtney; many beloved cousins; and many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.

Family and friends may call 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, at Kinnick Funeral Home, 222 S. State St., Girard.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, at St. Dominic Church, 77 E. Lucius Ave., Youngstown. Family and friends are asked to meet directly at the church Saturday.

Interment will follow in Calvary Cemetery in Youngstown.

Marlene’s family would like to extend their unending gratitude to the Antonine Sisters Adult Day Care Center, especially Pam, Cheryl and Sr. Grace, for taking such good and tender care of Mom; Patriot At Home occupational and physical therapists, especially Krissy, Melinda, Karen, Christine, Holly and Jo, for their love and for their work with Mom throughout many years; and Patriot Hospice and their nurses and aides for treating Mom with such kindness, compassion and dignity throughout her final months and days. We will never forget all you have done for our mom and for our entire family.

“Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul, and the souls of all of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.”

Visit kinnickfuneralhome.com to send condolences to Marlene’s family.

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