Barbara Hartnack

Barbara Hartnack, 89, of Chicago, IL, passed away peacefully on July 22, 2024.

Born in 1934, in Jersey City, NJ, to Mary Gertrude Sullivan and Robert Bell, Barbara later moved to Muncie, IN. After graduating high school, she began her career at the CIA in Washington, DC, where she met and married Karl Hartnack. They had three daughters: Katie, Tess, and Susanne.

Barbara lived in Europe as a young mother and wife before eventually returning to Chicago with her daughters. There, she began her career with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. She earned a marketing degree from DePaul University and later founded her own business, organizing trips and guiding hikers through the mountains of Austria, Switzerland, and Italy.

A kind and compassionate woman, Barbara always put the needs of others, especially her family, before her own. She was determined and accomplished much in her life. She had a deep love for the theater, opera, symphony, and a good honky-tonk band. Barbara was adored by all who knew her and will be deeply missed.

Barbara is survived by her children: Katie (Patrick), Tess (Ken), and Susanne McHugh (John); her grandchildren: Andrea (John), Jana (Lexx), Morgan, Sloan, Matthew, Colin, and Will; her great-grandson, Evan; her sister, Victoria; and her nephew, Adam (Erica and Sully). She was also a surrogate grandma to Thet Wai and Zoe.

Memorial gathering
Monday, July 29 from 4-8 p.m. at
Cooney Funeral Home, 625 Busse Highway, Park Ridge 60068

Funeral mass
Tuesday, July 30 at 10:30 a.m.
Old St. Pat’s Church, 700 W. Adams Street, Chicago, 60661

Interment following mass
Calvary Catholic Cemetery
301 Chicago Ave
Evanston, IL 60202

In lieu of flowers memorial donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital www.stjude.org would be appreciated.