Mudrak’s childhood home goes on auction block

Former BJ reporter Barbara Galloway Mudrak, among 500 years of experience that walked out the door on the same day in 2001, is putting her parents’ Garfield Heights home, built in 1948 just before they moved in, on the auction block.

Responding to my request for details, Barb wrote:

“The address is 12613 Darlington Avenue, Garfield Hts., and the auction is Wednesday, July 16 at 5:30 p.m. This is a 3-bedroom bungalow in a

nice neighborhood in Garfield Hts.

“My parents lived in the house from the time it was built in 1948 till they passed away, Mom in 2008 at age 87, Dad in 2009 at age 94. We had it remodeled so they could live out their days in their home with a live-in caregiver (unlike the

"Green Acres" theme song, farm livin' was not the life for them; couldn't talk them into moving to the farm in Columbiana County where

their only child has lived since marrying the farmer in 1975).

“The first floor is handicapped accessible with a walk-in shower, two bedrooms, and a ramp to the deck in back. The attic was remodeled into

a huge bedroom, electrical and other systems are all updated, it's in move-in condition. The renter -- who lived two doors down and knew my

parents -- has taken good care of it and was going to buy it, but is being transferred to Houston for work.”

The rapid demise of the BJ began in 2001 when Barb and a ton of talented people walked out the door on the same day. Old Blue has never been the same since, and is down to about 60 newsroom people, so starved for more people with talent that the bones are showing through the skin.

The tragedy was reported -n this BJ Alums blog March 27, 2014 under the headline, “The Day the BJ Music Died.”

Barb previously had noted on this blog:

“After taking a buyout in 2001 after 23 1/2 years at the BJ, I went back to Mount Union to get my teaching license. Since the fall of 2003, I've been teaching English and Journalism -- and being the adviser for the illustrious Red and Blue Flyer -- at Alliance High School. Still living on the farm in Columbiana County with Pete and two boys, one at KSU, one in grad school at Auburn.”

Here's Barb's email address: barborpete@gmail.com

If you want to traipse through Barb’s childhood, the auction will be July 16 in Garfield Heights.