The Poland Township community is mourning the loss of a woman they called an icon. 

87-year-old Rita Barbush was hit and killed by a car late Sunday night along Route 224 near Diana Drive.

“She was kind, she was honest,” Laura Welch, a friend of Rita Barbush said. “I’m just kind of at a loss for words.”

Ohio State Highway Patrol dispatchers told 21 News a car dropped off Barbush across the street from her home. Barbush went to cross the road and was hit by a car traveling Westbound. Barbush died at the scene. The 18-year-old driver and his passenger were not injured. 

On Monday, many people came to Barbush’s yard and laid out flowers to remember the sweet women they knew. 

“Most of the time she would be there pulling any little weed immediately and just meticulously taking care of her yard and it just made you smile,” Abbie Bosak, Poland Village Councilwoman said.  

Bosak was the first to put out flowers in the yard. She said Giant Eagle donated $25 worth of flowers for the memorial. Even as she was picking out the flowers at the store the employees recalled their memories of Barbush. 

“They described her as the eccentric lady that would come in and talk with them,” Bosak said. 

Barbush’s friends said her yard was her favorite place. 

“Rain, snow it didn’t matter we were out here and we were doing what she loved,” Welch said. 

Welch spent a lot of time with Barbush and gave her the nicknamed of her “adopted grandma.” She said Barbush would pick up every leaf and stick in her yard to keep it neat. Once Barbush even bragged to Welch that she won Poland's best yard in the 1990's. When they weren't doing yard work, they talked about her love for farming, horses and nature.

“She was so funny but so nice she loved her god, she loved Jesus,” Welch said. 

Others didn’t even know Barbush's name but said she made a big impact by waving and smiling to anyone who walked or drove by. 

“Everybody knew Miss Rita as just a fixture in the community,” Bozak said. 

Welch said she will miss her friend forever. 

“Just remember her as the nice Miss Rita that you saw on the street that would wave at you that would talk to a stranger,” Welch said.