Obituary of Wayne J. Bistrovich
Wayne Bistrovich, age 76, passed away peacefully on May 27, 2022, at Albany Medical Center, with his loving partner at his side, after a long struggle with kidney disease. He was a man of quiet strength who bore his illness with courage.
He was born in Rome on July 19, 1945 to the late Joseph and Leona Bistrovich. He graduated from West Leyden School and Morrisville Community College where he made dean’s list. He worked as a lab technician at Queensboro Dairy Plant in Canastota, NY until his retirement.
Wayne was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed skiing, hiking, fishing, biking, canoeing, vegetable gardening, making maple syrup, growing ginseng, operating machinery (he owned his own backhoe), and riding his ATV. He spent a lot of time in the woods where he fancied himself a lumberjack and spent many hours cutting wood to burn in his wood stove. Wayne also enjoyed seeing and visiting with his large extended family at the Bistrovich family reunions.
He leaves behind and will be missed by his partner of 30 years, Gloria Nellenbach, and their beloved cats, Lucky, Vita, and Jet; his brother, Terry Bistrovich; his sister, Cindee (Joseph Andros) Pugh; Gloria’s sister, Patricia (Peter) Chase; nieces and nephews, Kimberly (Dean) Brickey, Jeffrey (Tegan) Fabrizio, Brandon Pugh (Kaitlyn Ellinger), and Peter M. Chase; great nephews, Devin and Owen Brickey and Henry and Jack Fabrizio; two aunts and several cousins. He was predeceased by a sister-in-law, Dawn Bistrovich; and a brother-in-law, Donald Pugh.
The family would like to thank the Mohawk Glen Dialysis Center for their care and compassion, and to Elizabeth Tenne, NP, for her expertise, care and support shown to Wayne during his illness.
Funeral services will be held on Friday at 3 PM at the Barry Funeral Home, 807 W. Chestnut Street. Burial will be in Lee Valley Cemetery.
Relatives and friends may call at the funeral home on Friday from 1 to 3 PM prior to the funeral.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to R-Cats Program, P.O. Box 341, Rome, NY, 13442