Barbara Ann Siekkinen

Barbara Ann Siekkinen, 79, of Gustavus, passed away peacefully after a short illness, surrounded by her children on February 11, 2026, in Cleveland.

She was born June 25, 1946 in Warren, the daughter of Miland and Katherine Ahola Davis.

She graduated from Badger High School before pursuing her passion for nursing at St. Elizabeth’s School of Nursing.  She later earned her Bachelor of Science in nursing from Penn State and continued her education at Gannon University. 

Her career as a registered nurse at Trumbull Memorial Hospital spanned decades until her retirement in 2011. Her commitment to caring for others extended beyond her professional life.  She frequently assisted friends and neighbors, from medical advice and wound care to assisting with home child births and performing CPR.  Once while traveling through Iowa on a family vacation, she selflessly went out during the storm to assist a stranger injured in a tornado.  She was a faithful farm wife, devoted mother and loving grandmother who cherished her role within the family.

Barbara was deeply connected to her Finnish heritage and served as a dedicated board member of the Finnish American Heritage Association in Ashtabula Harbor.  Her love for history and genealogy inspired her to explore her roots further by learning the Finnish language and traveling to Finland.

In her early years as a mother, she was very involved in Le Leche League and gave birth to her two youngest children at home in Gustavus, where she resided for 56 years.  She was an avid reader who enjoyed gardening, baking, walking in the woods, birding and traveling.  She truly enjoyed music, especially live performances, and was a longtime supporter of public radio.  She strongly believed in equality for all and was a longtime member of the Ashtabula NAACP.  Wherever she went she would see people she knew, or immediately, make new friends.  Her many friends and extended family are going to miss the conversations with Barb.  Above everything else, she treasured spending time with her family, especially her 11 grandchildren!

Barbara is survived by her children, Katherine and Emery Smith, Rebecca Donaldson, Miina and Rob Beyreis, David and Kate Siekkinen and Andrew Siekkinen; her beloved grandchildren, Angela, Kade, Caleb, Ethan, Ella, Sophia, Jake, David, Will, Mae and Ava; and her siblings, Paul Davis, Frank Davis, Peggy Kananen, Ruth Lee and Floyd Davis.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, David R. Siekkinen; her parents, Katherine and Miland Davis; a brother, David Davis and his wife, Dollie Smith Davis; a brother-in-law, George Lee and a son-in-law, Shawn Rohrbach.

Barb’s warmth and friendliness left an indelible mark on all who knew her.  May her memory bring comfort to those she held dear.  A Celebration of Life will be held on June 27, 2026 from 3 to 7 p.m.at the Siekkinen home, 5290 St. Rt. 87, Kinsman, Ohio 44428.

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