Barbara A. Bartz left this earth on April 29, 2022. She was born March 1, 1934, in Wausau, Wis., daughter of the late Herbert and Mae (Tremel) Freuen. Barbara lived in Milwaukee in her twenties and thirties, moved to Wausau in the 1960s, and moved to Tomahawk in the early 1990s.

Barbara married Walter W. (Bud) Bartz on July 23, 1955. They spent 60 loving years together.

She was mom and Aunt Barb to so many and will be dearly missed by her family and friends.

She is survived by daughter Charlene (Burdick) Schmidt, Kronenwetter, son Walter A. Bartz (Deb), Osceola, grandchildren Traci (Scott) Parlier, Stephani (Christopher Hayes) Schmidt, Brittani (Travis Miller) Schmidt, McKenzie (Michael) Jabs, and Cassandra (Christopher) O’Hara, great-grandchildren, Brianne (Drea Sortillon), Hailey, and Landon Parlier, Alessandra and Niko Hayes, Addison, Barrett, and Maisey Jabs, Autumn, Quinn, and Kylie O’Hara, and another great due in Nov. 2022.

She is also survived by sister Donna Freuen Cantrall and brother Herbert (Som) Freuen as well as many nieces and nephews, many of whom were there for her when she was in need and so loved your visits and the time spent chatting. She has many friends and looked forward to playing the weekly poker games (for more than 20 years), going to garage sales, and playing Scrabble.

She will be greeted in heaven by her husband, Walter W. (Bud) Bartz, who died Aug. 2, 2014. He was the love of her life and they loved each other completely for their entire marriage and beyond. She is also preceded in death by her parents, a brother, James Freuen, and two sisters, Marlene “Marlie” Freuen Collins and Clarice “Jeannie” Freuen Barr.

A Memorial Service for Barb Bartz will be held on Saturday, May 7, at 1 p.m. at the Krueger Family Funeral Home, Tomahawk. The family will receive friends from 11:30 a.m. until the time of services at 1 p.m.

The family would like to thank the heroes at Renaissance Assisted Living for the wonderful care and support they gave to Barb. She loved her new home there for the past many months. And thanks also to the staff at Rennes Rehab Center, Weston, where she was cared for the last couple weeks. And special thanks to St. Croix Hospice, who were there for the family and made sure mom was comfortable.