Guy T. Barone

Gaetano Theodoro Vincenzo Gregorio Mario Vittorio Barone (Guy T. Barone) was born in a beautiful little mountain town in the Abruzzo region of Italy called L’Aquila (which means “eagle” in Italian). His grandfather, Theodore Carosa, traveled to this country first, in 1928, became a United States citizen, and enlisted in the Army. Due to his age, and much to his chagrin, Guy’s grandfather was assigned guard in a lighthouse in Portland, Maine. Meanwhile, in Italy, Guy’s father, Vittorio Barone, enlisted in the Italian army for a stint, and then traveled to Caracas, Venezuela to open a spaghetti factory before traveling up through New Orleans and joining his father-in-law in Canton, Ohio. Guy’s mother, Paula Barone, traveled solo to this country in 1951 with her young son, Guy, and daughter, Maria, in tow. They traveled via the S.S. Constitution, and landed in the States on Christmas eve to start their American dream. They bought a little pink house on Warrick Place (yes, it is reminiscent of the John Mellencamp song) in Canton, Ohio. Guy, Maria, and (seven years later) Ted grew up modestly but without want due to the dedication of their mother to their education and upbringing, and the hard work of their father, a lifelong employee of Ford Motor Company. Guy’s teachers in grade school feared he was a slow learner; the reality was just a language barrier. Guy was five years old when he came to this country, knowing not a word of English. Guy compensated for the language barrier with hard work. He excelled in school, became the first of his family to enroll in college, started locally at Walsh College, but transferred after two years to the University of Dayton. There he met the “prettiest girl in Dayton” (his direct quote), Mary Sue Selleck, a Columbus, Ohio native who only claimed her Irish heritage (though she is half-Italian), and fell head over heels in love. Guy graduated from the University of Dayton (alongside Mary Sue), did a brief stint working on the railroad (one of his favorite jobs), and enlisted in the US Marine Corps as a reservist (where he often chauffeured around generals in the company Jeep, and was good-naturedly teased by his fellow Marine friends). This was during the later years of the Vietnam War. Guy wanted to go over and fight in the war but (as his eldest daughter, Juliane, remembers him telling the history), was summoned by his general and several other decorated members into a meeting late one evening at Camp LeJune, where they told him, “son, go to law school.” And enroll in law school he did, at the University of Toledo (1969-1972). He married his college sweetheart, Mary Sue, on July 11, 1970, and brought her from Columbus to Toledo, Ohio to start their life together. They had three beautiful children, and developed lasting friendships in every place they lived in Toledo. Guy’s law career of over 50 years is a reflection of his passion for helping others. He worked for the Toledo Legal Aid Society, an adjunct professor at the UT civil law clinic, and the Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office before devoting the bulk of his service in private practice as a trial lawyer advocating for people in need of assistance. Guy was a believer in the mantra that “silence is betrayal.” He used his voice his entire life to speak on behalf of people and issues that mattered to him. He saved all of his Blade editorials, and the letters written in support/disagreement. He preferred not to offend, but in the final analysis would err on the side of speaking up. He loved a spirited debate, and he was passionate about the practice of law and the opportunities it presented to help people. Guy was not a wallflower, and never knew a stranger. He formed lifelong connections throughout all walks of his life, and, planner that he was, ensured that many of his bests were with him in his final days on this earth. Faith, family, friends. And golf. His loves. (*Honorable mentions to the New York Yankees; a team he fell in love with from the moment of his arrival in New York City, as well as the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the big heartbreak, the Cleveland Browns). Guy was a pioneer of the American dream, a beloved husband, big brother to Maria and Ted, father to his three devoted children, Juliane, Benjamin, and Katherine, and an awesome grandpa to his three grandchildren, Jacob, Nicolas, and Dominic. His sweetheart, Mary Sue, stated that their engraved wedding rings said it all: “lovers always; friends forever.” In the words of his brother Ted, Guy was “one of a kind in the best of ways; the perfect combination of tender and tough,” who taught him the real value and love of hard work. His sister, Maria, held him in highest esteem and values that they took care of each other throughout their formative years. His son, Ben, describes his father as a “gentleman, scholar, and a mighty warrior.” Guy passed that mantra on to his three adult children, and Ben instilled it in his three wonderful sons. He held a special place in his heart for Ben’s wife, Amy, whom he underscored was the best person to come into Ben’s life. Guy’s eldest, Juli, was enchanted by her dad’s fondness for detective novels, particularly those written by Robert Crais. They shared a bond based on their love of reading, and the nicknames “Joe Pike” (the strong, tough Marine, aka Guy) and “Elvis Cole” (the witty, wisecracking detective, aka Jules) in the Robert Crais series became their standard greetings to each other. Kate, the youngest, whom Guy called “Red” or “Bella Rosetta," frequently watched basketball, football, movies, and several TV series with her dad. They went to many football and baseball games as well. She also spent time learning his legal prowess by working many summers as his secretary since she was in high school. He was her protector, role model, and biggest advocate. He taught her to be kind to everyone. He also inspired her to always believe in herself. He was her hero. Any time his children needed encouragement in life, Guy repeated and reminded of the Marine mantra, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil....” It always was their beacon. Guy developed many affectionate nicknames over the years (Tani, Joe Pike, Bad to the Bone Barone, Pepino, Padre, Papa) by the people who treasured their time with him. His friendships were genuine, and he had a fierce loyalty to them that was an inspiration and example to his family. It was an honor and a reflection of his character that so many were regular guests at their home and in hospice through the difficult journey with Lou Gehrig’s disease over the last six months. There are too many true and caring friends to name individually, but know that he loved you all. We owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. Monica Young. She was not only Guy’s family physician throughout his life, but a constant and a light to him. It’s unlikely a coincidence that his hometown L’Aquila is Italian for eagle, and that his favorite bird was an eagle. “An eagle’s greatest strength is not just in its wings but in its mindset.” This is not goodbye; your spirit will always be with us. “Those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles.” Isaiah 40:31 We love you, GTB. Family and friends are invited to visit on Friday, June 13, 2025, from 3-7p.m. at Ansberg-West Funeral Home, 3000 W. Sylvania Ave., where a rosary service will begin at 6:30p.m. Mass of the Resurrection will begin at 9:30a.m. on Saturday, June 14th, 2025, at Christ the King Catholic Church, 4100 Harvest Lane. Internment will follow at Resurrection Cemetery, and is open to friends and family. A reception will follow at 1:00p.m.; details to be made available that day.

Guy T. Barone

September 9, 1946 - June 6, 2025