Mary Ann Tartal Kozbelt, 83, of 5045 Edgewater Lane in Oldsmar, FL, passed away peacefully on July 10, 2025.
Born on May 17, 1942, Mary Ann was the daughter of the late George W. and Mary F. Murdock Tartal. She graduated in the class of 1960 from the former East Huntingdon High School. In addition to being a hairdresser, Mary Ann was a school bus driver with Mark Lines Bus Company in Latrobe, PA, from which she retired in 1996. She was endeared by her “bus kids” (as she lovingly called them), many of whom came to visit her after she relocated from Youngstown, PA to Inverness, FL. Living in Florida for nearly 30 years, she developed a fondness for flamingos and palm trees.
Mary Ann was an Officer with the Citrus County Sheriff’s Crime Watch and served as a volunteer there for over 20 years. She also volunteered at Citrus Memorial Hospital for 16 years. In 2020, she moved to Oldsmar to be closer to family.
Mary Ann is survived by her loving husband of 63 years, John Thomas Kozbelt; her three children: Laurie Anne Kozbelt and wife Amy Grabowski of Oldsmar, FL, Aaron Paul Kozbelt and wife Rosaly of Falls Church, VA, and Kristin Leigh Kozbelt and husband Luciano Sousa de Mendonca of Tampa, FL; her three grandchildren: Ben, Layla, and Callista Kozbelt of Falls Church; her brother George M. Tartal and wife Jocelyn of Forrest Hills, PA; her nephew and niece, Stuart and Leah Tartal; her sister-in-law Sally Kozbelt of Ligonier, PA; many cousins in Pennsylvania and Florida; and her cat, Misty.
In addition to her parents, Mary Ann was preceded in death by her brother, Paul Tartal, and her brother-in-law, Pat Kozbelt. She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Youngstown and Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Inverness.
Mary Ann had a fun-loving sense of humor and was known for being friendly and adept at small talk — even with strangers. She loved watching Lawrence Welk reruns, the daytime soap operas she followed for 50+ years, and Wheel of Fortune — she was very good at solving the puzzles. She was a big fan of Elvis and followed local impersonators, including “Swiss Elvis.” In her final days, she continued to enjoy listening to Elvis tunes.
Mary Ann developed strong connections with her caregivers, especially her home health aide, Roberta Van Buskirk from Right at Home, and many friends at TLC Adult Day Care and Recreation Center. As a resident at Oakpark Center for the past two months, Mary Ann continued to foster relationships with medical staff and her roommate, Marie Douglas, and found unexpected ways to make us all smile.
A private gathering for immediate family will be held on Friday, July 18, followed by a public blessing service to begin at 1:00 PM at Frank Kapr Funeral Home, 417 W. Pittsburg Street, in Scottdale, PA. Committal Services and interment will be held at Visitation Cemetery in Mount Pleasant, PA at 1:45 in the Chapel
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mary Ann’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association or your local hospice organization. Chas. E. Davis Funeral Home of Inverness was in charge of Florida arrangements
To view the online obituary, sign the guest registry, send condolences, or obtain directions, please visit www.kapr.com. or www.chasdavis.com
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