Mariah was a bright, kind, artistic, and brave soul — a beautiful light in this world whose open smile, gentle spirit, and boundless heart touched everyone lucky enough to cross her path. She left an imprint that will never fade. Mariah, of Dale City, Virginia, passed away from complications of myasthenia gravis on December 5, 2025.
She was born in Paducah, Kentucky, on July 11, 1990, to Maria (Peitzmeier) Montalvo and Joseph Everett Bartz.
After living in Brookport and Herrin, Illinois, she moved to Macomb, Illinois, with her mother and brother, Zak, in 1995. While her mother was teaching science at Macomb Junior High, Mariah was blossoming into a curious, energetic, and creative child — always questioning, exploring, and brightening every room she entered. According to her kindergarten teacher, she made the best snowman picture in the whole class. She understood art at a very young age, instinctively creating pictures with bold complementary colors and striking contrasts.
In 2000, Maria married Greg Montalvo, and Mariah’s family grew to include him and his children, Amanda, Joshua, and Megan. Mariah attended Macomb Senior High School, where she continued her art and sang in the choir.
After a brief hiatus — during which she even learned roller derby — she returned to Western Illinois University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Graphic Communications with a minor in Studio Art. Not long before graduation, she was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis and began treatment.
