Bruce A. Bartolotta, who served the Monongahela Valley community with an unusual blended career as attorney and grocer, died Monday at the age of 55, ending a four-year battle with lymphoma.

Born Oct. 25, 1954, in Monongahela, he grew up working in the family business, the Bartolotta chain of markets that dotted the area, established by his father and uncle.

"Since he was a little guy, like 5 or 6 years old, he was working in the supermarkets," said his wife, Camera. "Cutting lettuce or cleaning up, whatever a kid could do."

After graduating from Mon-Valley Catholic High School, he earned a bachelor's degree at California University of Pennsylvania and his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh, graduating with honors.

All along the way, and through stints with two law firms, he continued working in the stores.

"He wanted to go through the ranks so that he could learn every single facet of the whole business," Mrs. Bartolotta said.

He worked his way up to becoming an owner and chief executive officer of Mon-Valley Foods, with Giant Eagle stores in Finleyville, Uniontown and Fisher Heights.

The Fisher Heights store also became the center of his law practice -- such as it was.

"Generally he was doing legal work for all his friends and friends of friends, largely pro bono," Mrs. Bartolotta said.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Bartolotta is survived by his parents, Aldo and Joan G. Bartolotta, of Monongahela; sons Damon J. Bartolotta of Belle Vernon and Dante A.W. Bartolotta of Monongahela; and daughters Danielle M. Steingraben of Tampa, Fla. and Devin J. Bartolotta of Monongahela; sister Toni Jo Allridge of Charleroi and former wife Nancy Bartolotta of Charleroi.

Friends will be received at the Marshall Marra Funeral Home, 216 Chess St., Monongahela, from noon to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. today. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in Transfiguration Catholic Church at 10 a.m. tomorrow, followed by entombment in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Carroll.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Light the Night Team created by his daughter, Devin, to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, at http://pages.lightthenight.org/wpa/Pttsbrgh09/StemCellabration.

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