Barbara Irene Dispenza Green

She was preceded in death by her husband, David W. Green; her parents, Frank R. Sr. and Barbara Culbertson Dispenza; and her brothers, Frank R. Jr. and Robin Dispenza.

Barbara is survived by her two children, Terri Green Stowe and David V. Green. She was also survived by her grandchildren, Steven Stowe and (Brigitte) Sophia Green, Steven’s wife, Molly, and Barbara’s sister-in-law, Rebecca Dispenza, and brother-in-law, Charles Green.

Barbara was born in El Paso, TX, on June 25, 1940. She was a life-long resident of El Paso, TX, except for a short time spent in Walnut Creek, CA, in the mid-1970s.

Barbara went to elementary school at Ascarate Elementary, graduating there in 1955. She continued her education at Ysleta High School, where she was a member of the choir and of which she had many fond memories. She graduated in the class of 1959, and joined the Ysleta High School Alumni Association (held card #4!). She received a certification in a business-related area from the Durham Business College of El Paso, in 1959, and several other certificates in Leadership and Business Writing Skills from National Career Workshops in 1989 to improve her skills working at the top levels of various community organizations. Barbara worked for the El Paso Public Schools in the Maintenance Department as a clerk-typist from 1960 until early 1962.

Throughout her life, she was active in church, music, and volunteering in the community. The breadth, scope, and passion for community involvement is quite amazing.

Barbara was a member of the congregations at the Byron St. Christion Church, First Christian Church, Austin Park Christian Church, Grace United Methodist Church, and Trinity First United Methodist Church. She was baptized at Byron St. on April 10, 1955. She joined the Christian Youth Fellowship. She met her future husband, David, at a youth summer camp, and later married him in 1959, at First Christian Church. She later became a member of Austin Park Christian Church, where she was a member of the choir, taught Sunday School for the children, headed up special events (such as Vacation Bible School), and was a Chairman for Austin Park’s Christian Women’s Fellowship. Barbara and her family then became members of the congregation at Grace United Methodist Church. The entire family was active in the music program there, with David and Barbara members of the Sanctuary Choir, and the kids in the various youth and children’s choirs and youth programs. After the kids grew up and many of her friends moved to Trinity First United Methodist Church, she decided to move her membership there as well. She immediately joined the Sanctuary Choir, where she later held the positions of Hospitality Chairman, Secretary and President. She also served on the Administrative Boards of both Grace and Trinity First. Over the years, Barbara was a member of numerous city-wide, church-related organizations. She served as chairman of various committees for the El Paso Council of Churches, and was a President of Church Women United of El Paso.

Barbara’s husband, David, was a professional musician and played with the El Paso Symphony and ProMusica locally. She was a member of the El Paso Symphony Guild, and served on its Young Artists’ Competition Committee. Barbara was also the President of the Bruce Nehring Consort Committee, in association with ProMusica, and also a member of the ProMusica Guild. Additionally, David and Barbara travelled for more than twenty years to San Diego to participate in the San Diego Chamber Music Workshop, where Barbara was on the Administrative Staff while David played in the Workshop.

Barbara volunteered in several organizations which supported the schools and extracurricular activities in which her children were active. She spent many of her adult years in the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), and made many contributions to the educational community over that time. She started as a member of the Ramona Elementary PTA which her children attended, and worked her way up to be a President on both the El Paso ISD and the Ysleta ISD District PTA Councils. She served on the Ysleta ISD’s Council of PTAs as the initial President, and subsequent Treasurer of the J.M. Hanks Continuing Scholarship Fund which assisted graduating high school students in the District. As part of the Ysleta PTA Council, she assisted with the passage of a school bond and she also participated in the Ysleta Independent School District’s Educational Improvement Council and the Long Range Planning Committee. She also served on the Texas PTA State Convention Steering Committee to plan the 1980 State Convention. During the time she was in California, she represented the local ISD’s PTA at various county and state hearings/panels on issues of concern to the local PTAs. Barbara had been a member of the International Order of Rainbow for Girls in El Paso, TX, in her teenage years, which is a faith-based organization which teaches leadership training through community service. Young women learn about the value of charity and service through their work and involvement with their annual local and Grand (state or country) service projects. Later, she became a parent volunteer with her daughter’s chapter. Barbara also volunteered with her daughter’s Brownie and Girl Scout Troops while they lived in El Paso and her son’s Cub Scout Pack while they were in California.

In addition to her church and school/children related activities, Barbara was active in many civic organizations and activities. In 1974, Barbara was the Secretary of the initial Board of the El Paso Public Television Foundation. As such, she played a significant part in bringing Public Television to the El Paso area. One of the little known facts of Barbara’s contributions was her suggestion for the station’s call letters, KCOS; with the “COS” part of the call sign standing for “City of the Sun.” Barbara was a member of the Woman’s Department of the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce for more than 10 years, and was selected to be a member of the Chamber’s Leadership El Paso Class of 1993, and she subsequently joined the associated Alumni Association. She was also on the Advisory Committee to the US Postmaster of El Paso. Barbara was the General Chairman of the Fanny Porter Clubs as part of El Paso’s “Aniversario del Paso” Sesquicentennial anniversary celebration in 1973. It turns out Ms. Porter was a famous madam who moved to El Paso from San Antonio (the association of which seems to be a peek into Barbara’s mischievous side). She and her children also participated in the massive presentation of El Paso’s history in the Sun Bowl, where she played the parts of a settler, and a saloon girl in a big dance production.

Barbara supported several organizations serving the senior community in El Paso. She was a founding Board Member, for Bienvivir All-Inclusive Senior Health Services, which began serving El Paso’s elderly and frail community in 1987; she stayed active in for over 30 years in this organization. Barbara was also a Board member for the Casa Bienvivir Assisted Living Facility and Bienvivir Parkside Senior Community (both part of Bienvivir). Barbara served on the El Paso Council on Aging which was a member agency of the United Fund (now the United Way), and which is now known as the Rio Grande Area Agency on Aging which is part of the Rio Grande Council of Governments; Barbara and her children participated in the Meals on Wheels program as part of service. She also was on the Mayor’s Advisory Board on Aging and the Board for the Area Network for Disabled and Aging. Barbara was a member of several other organizations which supported the disabled and other at-risk folks. This devotion to the disabled was driven by her love for her brother Robin who was born with cerebral palsy. She was a member of the Goodwill Industries of El Paso Member of the Women’s Auxiliary to Goodwill Industries for more than 20 years, and held several Board positions. While the Vice President of the Goodwill International Volunteer Services, she designed an organization packet for which was distributed to all incoming auxiliaries and interested groups world-wide. This contribution was one of her most personally meaningful contributions among the many she made over her life of service. Barbara also chaired the charitable event “Christmas Street”, and was an original member of the Women’s Auxiliary for the El Paso Rehabilitation Center, which benefited from that event. She served on the Boards for St. Margarets’ Center for Emotionally Disturbed Children and the Christian Home for Girls.

Barbara also liked mixing service with pleasure. She belonged to several organizations whose purpose was to provide a place to network and conduct fundraisers to support various causes in the El Paso area. She was a member of the Ysleta Junior Woman’s Club, the El Paso Young Matrons Society, and a member of the Woman’s Club of El Paso, TX, for 37 years.

Barbara earned many awards from the organizations she served (emphasis on “served”). She received the International Order of Rainbow for Girls Grand Cross of Color award in 1958. The Grand Cross of Color is the highest award given to a member or adult leader for outstanding service. In 1971, she was included as one of the Outstanding Young Women of America. She received her 5-year pin as a Girl Scout Leader in 1973. She was nominated for Mother of the Year in El Paso in 1973, ’74, and ’75. She received the Texas PTA Life Member Award in 1974, and was named the Outstanding Volunteer in 1974, by the Woman’s Auxiliary to the El Paso Rehabilitation Center and in 1978, by the Woman’s Auxiliary to Goodwill Industries. She was awarded the “All Burges Award – Mother of the Year” in 1979, due to her extensive volunteering activities that school year. Barbara was the recipient of the “Spirit of the American Woman” award from JCPenney in 1991, in recognition of her efforts and dedication to numerous worthy causes in the El Paso community. She received the National PTA Life Member Award in 1992, and an Appreciation Certificate from the Mayor’s Advisory Board on Aging in 1994, signed by Mayor Larry Francis. Barbara also received other awards from the YWCA, Bienvivir and Goodwill in the late 90’s and into the 2000’s.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at Trinity First United Methodist Church, 801 N Mesa St, El Paso, TX 79902, on Sept. 30, 2023, with the doors opening at 10:30 am and the service at 11 am. The service will be live-streamed on https://www.facebook.com/TrinityFirstUMC.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation be made to the El Paso Symphony or Trinity First UMC.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.FunerariaDelAngelMartin.com for the Green family.