Barbara Sakalys

Barbara Sakalys (Schleitwiler) of Pittsford, New York died peacefully at home on Saturday, January 17, 2026, surrounded by her family. She was born in 1936 in Chicago, Illinois to Harold and Rose (Porod) Schleitwiler.

In 1988 Barbara married Anthony Sakalys of Clarendon Hills, Illinois. She retired in 1989 as a legal secretary and moved with Anthony to Wausau, Wisconsin, where they lived until his death in 2010. She was previously married to the late Otto Krause from 1959 until 1984.

An extraordinarily loving and devoted mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt, niece, and cousin, Barbara delighted in her enormous extended family. She loved to entertain and visit with family and friends. She had a keen eye for beauty, kindness, and love. She enjoyed cooking, painting and ceramics. She was also a proud member of the Genesee Valley Quilt Club and an avid reader.

Survivors include her children, Michael (Tracey) Krause of Orchard Park, New York, Steven (Julie) Krause of Bexley, Ohio and Elizabeth (Eric) Brewer of Pittsford, New York, twelve grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and her sister Judith Wolicki of Downers Grove, Illinois. Besides her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her brothers Paul, Patrick, and David Schleitwiler and her sisters Beverly McHugh and Dianne Kronika.

The funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, February 14, 2026 at St. Louis Catholic Church, Pittsford. Burial will be in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Kronenwetter, Wisconsin. Friends may call at the church on the day of the funeral from 9:30 a.m. until mass begins. The mass will also be live streamed: go to https://stlouischurch.org/mass and click on the live stream link. The mass will also be available to stream for thirty days afterwards.