Obituary of Edward Bartolotta Edward J. Bartolotta July 27, 1943 – October 24, 2018 Edward J. Bartolotta passed away on October 24th, 2018 after a lifetime filled with many warm memories, deep-bellied laughs, and loved ones he cherished so dearly by his side. Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, Eddie Bart, as he was fondly known, began his life by passionately pursuing his love for the sport of swimming. The water was his strength, the pool his victory.
He spent his childhood and early years of adulthood alongside his father studying the masonry trade from him becoming quite the established bricklayer in the city of Buffalo. Ed’s two sons will forever hear their father’s gruff yet humble voice as he motioned to each building that he and their grandfather helped build. Buffalo is a little bit more charming because of the labor, skill and artistry of Ed’s hardworking hands.
From the smell of the leaves as the trees bloomed into life in the crisp spring air to the sight of fresh snow falling onto the Christmas trees on those cold winter days, Ed loved everything and anything about the outdoors and the wild. He saw beauty in the smallest of creatures and the greatest of pleasures in watching Mother Nature do what she does best. This passion led Ed to the beginnings of his many entrepreneurial endeavors.
The small, family farm quickly grew where he raised his family under the strong lessons of hard work and appreciation for nature. While his sons may cringe from the memories of caring for all the livestock on the farm as boys (those messy chickens and all), Ed embodied every sense of the American farmer. He cared for his land and showed his boys the pure joys of caring for animals through hard work and labor.
That passion morphed into the success of his family business Wiscoy Valley Tree Farm in Bliss, New York. Ed, being larger than life, led the Christmas tree farm to evolve into Wiscoy Tree Farm Garden Center and Landscaping. The garden center became a childhood staple for all five of his granddaughters.
Watering petunias was quite the humdrum chore of each day, but Ed made his little granddaughters feel so appreciated and loved when he handed them that watering hose. Helping Papa was the greatest reward of all. But his smile as he watched them was even better.
There was later an antique shop alongside a much smaller version of the garden center and a pizzeria. Mo’s Pizzeria was the finest pizza joint Springwater, New York has ever seen. Ed was an admirable hunter and an even better fisherman.
When he wasn’t plotting his next entrepreneurial endeavor, he was enjoying wildlife. He watched each individual deer in the herd that fed in his yard at dusk each night. He knew their feeding patterns, their favored hiding spot, and their individual walks.
He lived for the hunt and honored every deer he harvested in every way that he could. His boat was his second home. It is probably safe to say that he spent more time on his boat than in his actual house.
Ed loved hunting, but he lived for fishing. The biggest secret to his fishing success? Ed never left his dock at Conesus Lake.
There he would sit, a cold Coors Light in hand (the invention of the Yeti koozi changed his life forever- thank you Little Eddie), as fellow fishermen would pull into the dock at The Beachcomber visibly frustrated with their lack of success out on the lake. Ed would engage in conversation, consoling the locals who all came to know him oh so well. When asked how his luck was going, Ed never bragged, but merely said the fishing was alright.
The cooler at the edge of the boat, however, was always filled with that day’s herculean catch of bass and pike. If one had the pleasure of sitting on the boat with him for any portion of time, he would never fail to gripe about how talkative everyone was who walked by the boat. They all wanted to talk and talk and talk.
Yet it never failed that Ed was always the life of every party and conversation that took place on that dock. He was in all of his glory rocking in those lake waves. Ed’s greatest joy in life, more than the deer he so carefully hunted and the fish he so methodically caught, were his sons and his granddaughters.
He loved them so dearly. He was arguably the best Papa around. Ed loved each of them for exactly who they were, never questioning or turning them away.
He was their greatest supporter and their mightiest strength to pursue their dreams. The happiness of his sons and granddaughters was truly the root of his happiness. He only ever demanded one thing- “Cheek”.
The “cheek” will forever be a fond memory for his favorite girls. Before they could say one word to him, he would turn his head and warmly demand “Cheek”. A kiss on the cheek from his granddaughter and all was right with the world.
And without fail, at some point in a conversation, regardless if it was mid-thought or mid-sentence, he would look his granddaughters in the eye and say “You’re beautiful”. Every. Single.
Time. Again, he was the best Papa around. He was stubborn.
And he was proud. And fortunately, Ed passed on that stubborn Sicilian blood and pride for the Bartolotta name onto his sons and granddaughters. Ed is predeceased by his parents Carmela and Edward T. Bartolotta and survived by his sister Barbara Bartolotta Dubreville.
He will be forever remembered by his two sons Edward B. Bartolotta (Marina Bartolotta) and Robert J. Bartolotta (Valerie Bartolotta), as well as their loving mother Elizabeth Bartolotta. He is lovingly remembered as “Papa” by his five beautiful granddaughters Kristen Bartolotta, Marina V. Bartolotta, Chelsea Bartolotta, Kira Bartolotta and Natasha Bartolotta. He will be greatly missed by his loving partner of his last several years of life, Elizabeth Doyle.
Many other extended family members, dear friends and loved ones will also fondly remember Ed and cherish his memory. In lieu of services, please support your local Christmas tree farm this holiday season or local Wildlife and Conservation Program in memory of Ed. Donations may also be made to help in the fight against cancer.
Please consider donating to the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center of the University of Rochester Medical Center. Love you forever and always, Papa.
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