John A. Brattoli

John A. Brattoli, 97, of Avon, OH, passed away on October 9, 2023 at Cleveland Clinic Avon. He was born March 11, l926, in New Lexington, OH. In 1943 his family moved to Elyria, OH, where he finished his senior year and was drafted into the Army two days after graduation. After infantry training at Fort McClellan, AL, he was shipped overseas where he joined Company C, 119th Regiment, 30th Infantry Division in the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium on December 24, 1944. He was awarded the Purple Heart.

John married Evelyn Emma Fisher on June 9, 1949. He attended John Carroll University where in 1950 he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a major in Commercial Teaching and minor in English. For the next twelve years while teaching at Avon High School, he earned a Masters Degree in Business Education at Kent State University. In 1964 he became an Assistant Professor in the Business Division of Lorain County Community College and later an Associate Professor until his retirement in 1984.

John was a long-time resident of Elyria where he was an active member of St. Jude Church serving as Eucharistic Minister and Lector. He is survived by his daughters, Rita (Sonny) Dukeman of Grafton, Karen (David) Brintnall of Medina, Mary (Mike) Karleskint of LaGrange, and Bonnie (Mike) Hakes of Rocky River;  daughter-in-law, Sharon of Elyria; sons, Mark (Lorraine) of Fort Wayne, IN, and James of Wadsworth, OH; grandchildren, David Dukeman (Bethany), Michelle Carey (Tim), Laura Hanhauser (Adam), Jeff Dukeman (Jessica), Timothy, Keith and Daniel Brintnall, Adam Karleskint, Crystal Polovich (Dan), and Brent and Susie Cox; step-grandchildren, Nick and Jack Hakes; great grandchildren, Nolan and Kacey Dukeman, Owen Carey, Conway “CJ” and Raylan “Ray” Hanhauser, Charlotte “Charlie” and Elizabeth “Ellie” and Georgia “G” Dukeman, and Emmy Lou Polovich; brother, Martin of Avon Lake; and sister, Theresa Hardy of Avon, OH.

John was preceded in death by his wife of sixty-nine years Evelyn (nee Fisher); sons Jude and Johnny; his parents Michael and Lucy (nee Petruzzi); sisters Clara Bishop, Ann Barry, and Mary Naymik; and brothers Joseph, Stephen, Daniel, Anthony, and Eugene.

Memorial contributions may be made to Echoing Lake Home, 175 Chadwick Court, Elyria, OH 44035.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, October 12 from 4:30 - 7:30 pm at the Reichlin Roberts Bollinger Funeral home, 327 Cleveland St., Elyria. The funeral mass will be held on Friday at 10:30 am at St. Jude Church, 594 Poplar St., Elyria (please meet at church) followed by the burial at St. Mary Cemetery, Elyria.