By mid-morning Monday, people had already placed flowers, candles and cards by the front entrance of Boloney’s Sandwich Shop, next door to the Catlow Movie Theater in downtown Barrington.
The co-owner of both well-known Barrington businesses, Roberta Rapata, died the day before on Aug. 28.
She was 57.
Her fiancé and business partner, Tim O’Connor, told customers about Rapata’s death in an email, detailing how the theater and restaurant both will be closed for a few days.
“Thank you for all the love and affection you have shown for Roberta over the years,” he wrote. “She loved everyone of you and lived to make you all happy, comfortable and well fed!”
Charlie Dastych, chief deputy of the Dupage County Coroner’s Office, said Rapata died of a sudden heart attack and was taken to Adventist GlenOaks Hospital in Glendale Heights, where she was pronounced dead at 3:39 a.m.
On Monday, Barrington residents Jack and Carolyn Schaefer brought flowers to the businesses Rapata helped operate.
“We’ve been patronizing the Catlow for 40 years. Roberta was a lovely, caring person,” said Carolyn Schaefer. “Our son worked in the movie theater in about 2000. She always asked about my son.”
In May 1988, the theater was sold to Rapata and O’Connor, who led a group of investors, according to the Catlow Movie Theater website.
A year later, the location was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The theater, designed to portray a medieval English hall, originally had its grand opening May 28, 1927, the website stated.
A call to the Catlow Theater, 116 W. Main St., Barrington, was not returned Monday. O’Connor said in another email late Monday afternoon the Catlow will reopen Friday night, Sept. 2.
Service arrangements also have been set.
Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Davenport Family Funeral Home and Crematory, 149 W. Main St., Barrington. Visitation will continue at 10 a.m. and last until 11 a.m. Thursday, followed by a funeral mass at St. Anne Catholic Church, 120 N. Ela St., Barrington.
The entombment will be private, according to Davenport Family Funeral Home and Crematory.
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