Natalie Valcanoff

Natalie Valcanoff (nee Lepasky), a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, passed away peacefully on May 26, 2026, at the age of 97.

Born on October 16, 1928, in Akron, OH, Natalie was the daughter of the late Alexander and Hazel Lepasky and sister to Elaine. Natalie spent her childhood growing flowers on her family’s farm before catching the eye of the love of her life, Bob, a hotshot airplane pilot. They married in 1947 and spent the next 74 years building a life together filled with family, bowling, card games, dancing, laughter and love, while raising their two daughters, Stacie and Michelle.

Natalie believed deeply in caring for people and animals. She always had a meal to offer, a treat to share or a kindness waiting for anyone who walked through her door. She was quick to offer a Klondike Bar or reveal the hiding place of her Hershey’s with almonds stash. When she and Bob had Natalie Florist, she ensured weddings were memorable and lives were appropriately honored. Her kindness and thoughtfulness in those big life moments became well known throughout the community. She later spent 10 years caring for the customers at the Life is Sweet antique shop, where many returned, not just to shop, but to visit a friend. Natalie always fed the birds and stray animals, and in her later years even kept dog biscuits tucked into her walker in case she met a dog. She loved sharing the roses she grew, preparing favorite meals for the people she loved, and never forgot a birthday. Natalie had a gift for making you feel truly special and cared for.

Natalie believed life was beautiful and meant to be celebrated. Whether through the flowers she arranged, the polkas she loved to dance to, or the sparkles she wore on every finger, she found what brought her joy and shared that generously with others. Her enthusiasm for life was contagious, even earning her the title of Queen of the Danbury. She especially treasured her great-grandchildren and beamed with pride at their accomplishments and delighted in their antics.

Natalie’s greatest love was her family. She is survived by her daughters, Stacie (Phil) Rastok and Michelle (Terry) Tesmer; grandchildren, Adrienne (Toby Moon) Rastok, Brandon (Danielle) Rastok, Tara (Tim Polacek) Tesmer, Trent (Heather) Tesmer; and great-grandchildren, Natalee, Kylee, Aleena, Braden, Ethan, Tucker and Tessa.

Family and friends are invited to a visitation on Friday, June 5, at 11:30 a.m., followed by a celebration of life at noon at the Billow FAIRLAWN Chapel, 85 N. Miller Road, Akron, OH 44333.

And for those who knew her best, it is easy to imagine Natalie, reunited with Bob at last, saying with a smile, “RM, let’s go!”

Services in care of the Billow Funeral Homes and Crematory, Fairlawn Chapel, 85 N. Miller Rd. Akron, OH 44333.