Barbara was a shining light in our lives. She was the life of every party, a great conversationalist, and a savvy business owner. She was famously classy and polished, always well-coiffed with her hair and makeup perfectly in place. Her beauty and charm dazzled her husband-to-be, Tom, from the day they met at the hardware store where he worked; they went on to share 56 years of happy marriage. She took immense pride in her role as a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
A woman of considerable professional accomplishment, Barbara was a co-owner of the family business, The Lumber Company, in Euclid, Ohio. She later founded her own company, Barbara LaGatta Promotional Products, Inc., where she earned the industry’s coveted Distributor of the Year award. She maintained lifelong relationships with her clients and colleagues, many of whom became close friends.
Beyond her business success, Barbara was a prolific artist. Her creativity knew no bounds: she painted, wrote poetry and prose, embroidered, and sewed doll clothes. She successfully operated The Personal Pen, a calligraphy and framing business, and was an active member of the Cleveland Miniature Club. Her artistry even included landscape design, famously lifting heavy stones in her backyard well into her 70s. Whether she was dancing the polka, winning regional bocce tournaments, or challenging her grandchildren to a game of Scrabble or backgammon, Barbara played to win and lived with vigor.
Her Catholic faith was the cornerstone of her life. From her own Catholic school days to her years as a volunteer religious education teacher, Barbara had a unique gift for connecting with the most challenging students. She taught her children the significance of both deep faith and critical inquiry, and she felt a profound, lifelong connection to the Blessed Mother.
In her later years, Barbara’s devotion to family led her to follow her daughters from Ohio to Texas. She remained active and social, deeply valuing her book club and Wednesday dinners with her grief group. In Barbara’s home, no one was a stranger. She offered everyone a seat at the table for coffee, a meal, and perhaps a few wise words of advice.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Thomas Joseph; her infant daughter Lisa Marie; her parents Steve and Marie Svrga; and her siblings Helen Campolieti and John and James Svrga.
She is survived by her children: Lorine LaGatta, Lynette Culotta (Michael), and Thomas LaGatta; her brother, Steve “Bud” Svrga; her grandchildren, Andrew Shadley (Nicole Mui), Sara Shadley (Matt Rodriguez), Ryan Culotta (Elizabeth), Jessica Eason (Zach), Scott Culotta (Lauren Martinez), and Emma Sproul; and her great-grandchildren Jillian and Jonah Eason.
She is also survived by her nieces and nephews: Michelle Campolieti Johnson, Michael and Patrick Campolieti, Cassie Svrga, Dana Petry, Heather Witherite, January Helbig, Johnny Svrga, Carmella Jukic, Mindy Lebowitz, Isaak Wise, Heather, Shannon, Laurel, and Meagan LaGatta, and Heather and Susan Lally. She also considered her honorary daughter, Carmen Espinosa (Mark), and honorary grandchildren, Dominic and Oliver Espinosa, as family.
The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 8, 2026, at Porter Loring Mortuary West in San Antonio, TX, followed by the Rosary. The funeral service will be at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, February 9, 2026, at St. Matthew’s Church in San Antonio, TX, with burial to follow at Resurrection Cemetery at Cordi-Marian.
We ask that friends and family share memories and tributes for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Dementia Society of America https://www.dementiasociety.org/donate and the American Lung Association https://www.lung.org
Here is a link to view a livestreaming of the service: https://www.youtube.com/live/s5Y7DKJuosg
