Barbara Greco

Barbara Saflarski was born on November 9, 1943, in Chicago, Illinois, to proud parents Walter and Josephine Saflarski. She had two younger sisters, Jeanne and Mary. She loved nurturing them, even if it occasionally came with a bit of bossing around. Barb graduated from Niles High School, and later met the love of her life, Tony Greco, at a friend's wedding in 1965. They married in 1967 and together built a beautiful life full of love, laughter, and adventure with their two children, Mary and Christopher. As a mom, Barb was endlessly supportive, cheering from the sidelines, encouraging every endeavor (even the dreaded piano competitions), and always showing up with warmth and wisdom.

Their home in Indian Head Park became the heart of a lively neighborhood filled with lifelong memories. Tony had a passion for landscaping, influencing Barbara to have a special love for her flowers later in life. Barb worked from home while raising her children, later becoming a legal administrative assistant on the 78th floor of the Sears Tower, a job she loved and took great pride in. She had many close friendships from the neighborhood, Edgewood Valley and her career that stood the test of time.

Barb and Tony shared a passion for travel and made unforgettable memories across the globe and close to home like trips to Italy, the Black Hills with Mary's family, Disney adventures with the grandchildren, and visits to see her sisters, sometimes involving an Iowa blizzard. In retirement, they settled in Bonita Springs, Florida, where golf, dinner parties, and family visits filled their days. She treasured her time there, and loved when the grandchildren came. Kyle, Anthony, Ella, Emma, and Mia were her pride and joy. To Barb, they were perfect, and she made sure everyone knew it!

If you shared a memory with Barb, chances are it involved her incredible cooking. From potato pancakes and polish sausage, to lasagna and stuffed shells, Barb could make just about anything. Her holiday tables were legendary, her famous "carrot ring" appeared every Thanksgiving, bacon-wrapped dates at Christmas and what would Easter be without the lamb cake? Family get togethers were always the yummiest if Barb was cooking.

After Tony's passing in 2017, Barb relocated to Naperville to be closer to Chris and just a car ride from Mary. She embraced this new chapter with gratitude, enjoying Friday pizza night at Chris', spontaneous errands and meals with her sister-in-law Ginny, and road trips to Iowa. She made wonderful neighborhood friends here too! They looked out for each other and got together for Bunco, lunches and fun. She was a night owl and loved when Mary visited because they would stay up late into the night binge-watching Netflix. Moving back to the Midwest allowed her to spend more time with her grandchildren, attending every game, concert, dance recital and school event she could.

Barb had a sharp mind and a competitive spirit. She was unbeatable at Sunday crossword puzzles, Wordle, Jeopardy!, and Wheel of Fortune. She stayed current with pop culture, never said no to a game of Mexican Train with her grandchildren, and adored her Mahjong and Bunco groups. She had a keen interest in investments and followed the stock market closely. Barb was a sports fan and loved watching a wide variety of games and teams, including the Cubs, the Bears, professional golf tournaments, March Madness, the Kentucky Derby, and Wimbledon.

On July 26, 2025, Barb passed away peacefully at the age of 81, with her children by her side. Left to cherish her memory are her children, Mary (Brian) Schaaf of Algona, IA, and Chris (Angela) Greco of Naperville, IL; her five grandchildren, Kyle, Anthony, Ella, Emma, and Mia; her sisters Jeanne (Paul) Wickstrom and Mary Wickstrom; sisters-in-law Ginny Kreidler and Sue Greco; her nieces and nephews, extended family, and many dear friends.

Welcoming her home in Heaven is her beloved husband, Tony and her parents. What a beautiful reunion it must have been.

Barb's legacy of love and family is evident in the outpouring of support we have received. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Mom was the epitome of strength and grace. Just a few days ago, we told her, "You are a warrior." Without hesitation, she replied, "Yes, I am."

Yes, you were, Mom. And we love you forever.

~ Mary & Chris

Service details are available on the Beidelman-Kunsch Funeral Homes website.