Gerald "Jerry" T. Bartuska

Gerald (Jerry) Thomas Bartuska entered eternal rest on April 19, 2022 and was immediately greeted by a band of dogs and angels, bearing a breakfast sandwich from McDonalds and a cold Pepsi. Jerry was born in Chicago, Illinois on September 1,1953 to Joe and LaVerne Bartuska. Having lost his parents at a young age, he was shaped and raised by his sister, JoAnn, and brother in-law, Ken Ellis, instilling a lifelong family first mentality.

Jerry is the loving husband to his wife, Charlene Bartuska. His children Penny (Brian), Billy (Ana), Nick, Autumn, and Joe (Holly) are his greatest pride and leading contributor to his threats of selling the house because there were shoes scattered everywhere. He is the adored “Papa” or “Pops” to grandchildren, Devin, Clara, Nora, Beau, Pyper, Lila, Tehya, MaKenna, Grayson, Gavin, and Baby Boy Bartuska, due August.

Jerry knows no stranger and is survived by an extensive extended family and even more who were friends but counted him as family. The number of those who loved him is too great to list.

He lived a life set to a Beach Boys soundtrack, full of life’s good vibrations.  He took great joy in the huge camping trips held with his family and other members of the Camping Junkie community.  He had no need for Google Maps, specializing in his hand drawn versions. He was a chef for a 5-teenager house, whose lunch specialty of bologna "sammiches" and signature dish of bread sandwiches are still the legends of eating contests.  Always at the ready with his tools, he was skilled craftsman, a builder of toy boxes for his newborn grandchildren and dollhouses big enough to incur property taxes. 

A celebration of his life will be held on Friday, May 6th, 1:00 P.M., at Drinkwine Family Mortuary, 999 West Littleton Boulevard in Littleton, Colorado. Coffee and sugary snacks will be served because Jerry would have insisted. Service will be done before the Yankees play that evening. 

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Jerry Bartuska Memorial Fund to assist with expenses can be made through the donations tab at the top of the obituary page. Your support is greatly appreciated.

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