Vicki K. Battista

Vicki K. Battista, age 75, of Richmond, Indiana, passed away peacefully on Sunday, September 6, 2026, at Brethren Retirement Community in Greenville, Ohio.

Vicki was born on May 15, 1951, in Richmond, Indiana, to the late Eugene and E. Catharine (Shaeffer) Battista of New Paris, Ohio. She grew up surrounded by family, hard work, animals, and the kind of everyday moments that helped shape the person everyone came to know and love.

She graduated in 1969 from National Trail High School as part of the first graduating class following the consolidation of the district. Not long after graduation, Vicki began working at the large east-side Kmart store in Richmond. What started as a job became a career that lasted more than 20 years, eventually leading her to the position of Assistant Store Manager. She stayed with Kmart until the store closed and took great pride in her work and in the people she worked alongside. She was also involved in many of the store’s charitable and community events, always willing to help wherever she was needed. After Kmart closed, Vicki kept right on going. She worked at Irmar Trucking in Richmond, Custom Truck & Electronics in New Paris, Ohio, and in various retail display positions over the years.

But anyone who truly knew Vicki knows that her life cannot be summed up by where she worked. Vicki was Vicki.

She was funny, quick-witted, outspoken, and almost always ready with a comeback. Sometimes you asked for it. Sometimes you definitely did not. Either way, you were probably going to get one.

That sharp sense of humor was one of the things people loved most about her. Vicki had a way of making people laugh and making an ordinary moment memorable. She could tease you, make you shake your head, and have you laughing a few seconds later. Her humor was simply part of who she was, and those who knew her will hear those familiar one-liners and comebacks in their memories for years to come.

Vicki loved being around people. She enjoyed conversation, laughter, friendship, and having a good time. She had a way of making people feel comfortable around her, and she formed friendships that lasted through many chapters of her life. She also loved a challenge, especially one that came in a box with a thousand tiny pieces. Jigsaw puzzles were one of Vicki’s great pleasures. The bigger, more complicated, and more frustrating the puzzle looked, the more interested she became. She could sit for hours, completely focused, determined to find where every last piece belonged. Over time, her love of games and puzzles found its way onto the computer as well, giving her a whole new world of challenges to conquer.

Travel was another source of joy in Vicki’s life. She loved trips with friends and enjoyed many vacations and cruises throughout the United States and Canada. For Vicki, the destination mattered, but the laughter, stories, and memories made along the way mattered even more.

Having grown up on a farm, Vicki also carried a lifelong love of animals. She seemed to have a natural connection with them, and animals had a habit of finding their way to her. Her love and compassion for them remained a constant throughout her life and is reflected in the organizations chosen for memorial contributions in her honor.

Vicki was preceded in death by her parents, Eugene and E. Catharine Battista; her brother, Larry Battista; her sister, Debra Williams; and her nephews, Gary and Jerry Battista. She is survived by her best friend, Delores McNew of Richmond, Indiana; her older sister, Diana Battista of New York, New York; her sister-in-law, Vivian Battista of Richmond, Indiana; her nephew and niece, Larry Gene and Melanie Battista of Centerville, Indiana; and her great-nephews, Jaeden Battista of Indianapolis, Indiana, and Nicholas Battista of Centerville, Indiana.

For those who loved Vicki, saying goodbye means saying goodbye to much more than a sister, aunt, friend, coworker, or neighbor. It means saying goodbye to a familiar laugh, a quick comeback, a puzzle spread across the table, a story from a trip, a conversation that went somewhere unexpected, and a personality that could never quite be mistaken for anyone else’s. Vicki left people with stories. She left people laughing. And she left people with memories that will keep her close long after this goodbye.

Her family hopes that when people think of Vicki, they will remember her exactly as she was: funny, spirited, caring, independent, and unmistakably herself. So when a memory of Vicki suddenly makes you laugh, do not feel guilty for smiling. That laughter is part of what she left behind.

Arrangements are being made by Barnes Funeral Home in New Paris, Ohio. A Celebration of Life service will be scheduled at a future date. Condolences may be shared through the funeral home website at www.barnesfuneralhome.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to EverHeart Hospice, 1350 N. Broadway St., Greenville, Ohio 45331; HELP the Animals, Inc., P.O. Box 117, Richmond, Indiana 47375; Animal Care Alliance, 1353 Abington Pike, Richmond, Indiana 47374; or the Alzheimer’s Association.