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The Texas yellow rose icon is a scan of the magnet Barb handed out at the Chicago online convention.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Barb was the first on line member to contact me. She was a lady. I wanted so much to meet her. I told her this time and again. And a couple of months ago she told me she was sorry, but I would have to wait. But she would be waiting to meet me one day in heaven and would give me a hug and hold my hand as she showed me around." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I will always remember Barb at the online gathering in Atlanta. We had a gift exchange, the kind where you draw a number and get a gift OR you can take one from someone who has unwrapped one already, etc. Barb got something (I think it was an angel) that she wanted to keep and she tried all kinds of ways to hide it - I will never forget her trying to hide it under her chair, which didn't work, or behind her, etc. She was so funny, so enthusiastic, so genuine, and so loving. We are all richer who have known her, online or in person, and we will all miss her." Joy B OLB ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Barb came to visit me a few years ago. We had corresponded via e-mail, but had never met in person. Here is how she described herself, "Look for a short heavy set lady with grayish white hair, and a big smile!" I met her at the Portland Airport, and we recognized each other instantly. We were both about the same size, and both of us had grayish white hair! She spent a week with me, and we got to see a lot of western and central Oregon. Then on the weekend, we went to the Oregon Gathering in Lincoln City, right on the beach. It seemed like we had known each other for years, and we talked non-stop into the nights. Jack came home from hunting, and joined us, and we were wishing that Rex was here to join us. It was so much fun and we really wished that we were neighbors. I'll miss her, but I know that she is in Heaven, having a grand reunion with all of her family that went before her." Warm hugs,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I met Barb in Chicago, and she knew of my shyness and took me under her mother's wing. She stopped by my house last summer and spent the night. I was so pleased that she did that. She will always be very special to me. I will never forget her."
Leet
OLB ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I know all of us loved Barb with all our hearts. I also know that Florida will not be the same without her! I suppose my memory of Barb is from Denver! I recall every time I saw Barb at Denver she had to give me a hug or a pat on the arm! She was just a very kind lady! Another thing I recall is her selling many tickets for the raffle. She was always coming back for more tickets and giving me money! We teased her about all her tickets! She will be very missed. " Beta Hugs, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I will always remember Barb as the one who introduced me to Beta Sigma Phi. It became my morning routine to meet with Barb and Edie Russ for coffee every weekday morning on ICQ. I enjoyed those chats so much. Barb convinced me to travel to Chicago to receive my pledge ritual. There I got to meet this wonderful woman in person. In Denver, my first memory is of her standing with her hand on hip as JulieP and I walked in the hotel door....late because we had been looking all over for Barb and Rex at the airport. I will treasure that look she had on her face. Barb stood by my side as I received my ROJ in Denver. On my travels last winter, I stopped in Hamilton twice to visit with Barb and Rex. I will treasure those times as well." Many Hugs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At later conventions in K.C. and Chicago there were many more memories of
her of course, but this first one is the one I keep looking at now as we face
the days without her. I will always see her huge smile, her courage, wisdom,
and grace. I am indeed blessed to have known her. Julia Gibson ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Barbara was a true friend and taught me a lot about life in general. She was firm in her beliefs and wanted everyone to be happy. I enjoyed my days at the on line conventions with Barb. We were roommates often and this is where I got to know her. She wanted Beta Sigma Phis to have fun and enjoy the friendships were had. Her goal was to always expand her circle of friendship. I will always remember her for who she was. She is not gone, she is only away waiting for us to join her in the yellow rose garden. Her journey here on earth was completed and now she is to enjoy a new life. I will always remember that she shared her last years with us and was strong enough to teach us that it was ok. Life sometimes doesn't seem fair, but we must go on. We shed many tears ~ some good, some sad, but she always felt the need to be there. We will miss Mother Barb, but know you taught us well. I love you Barb. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
It was my pleasure to have able to be with this wonderful sister and friend at three online conventions, starting with the one in Atlanta. At this convention we had an ornament exchange that was conducted with us all sitting in a circle around the pile of gift wrapped ornaments. It was done with each person drawing a number and then taking a gift in turn and either opening a new one or stealing one from someone else. Poor Barbara! She refused to steal anything from any of her sisters, and kept opening new ones. But her sisters were not as nice as she and they kept stealing her ornaments. She would get up from her chair, walk over to the pile of presents, and then pick up each one very carefully and give it a little shake, set it down and on to the next one. Once she had made her selection, she would peer into it and then stick it under her chair behind her legs and assert most vigorously that it was UUUGLY!! The UUGLIEST ornament she had ever seen. She had us all rolling with laughter. And that is one of the things that Barb did best----keep us laughing and smiling.