Barbara Leinninger Birrell of Bee Cave, TX, passed in the comfort of her home on Wednesday, February 11, 2015 at the age of 82. She had been living with cancer for more than a year, but refused to let the cancer define her final months of life.
Barbara was born June 19, 1932, in Queens, New York to Rev. Jacob and Elfrieda Leinninger. Barbara grew up on 58th Street in Woodside with her sisters Nancy and Jane. She graduated from New York Medical College in September of 1953, as a Registered Professional Nurse. In 1955, Barbara married Norman David “Scotty” Birrell in Woodside, NY.
Scotty and Barbara were blessed with 4 children and 8 grand children. As a family they enjoyed traveling the world, camping and fishing, creating many lasting memories of family adventures. Norman passed in 2009 after 54 years of marriage.
Barbara served as a nurse for 25 years, first with Riverside Hospital in Newport News, VA; later with Spring Branch Memorial Hospital in Houston. She cherished her fellow nurses and her nursing years.
After retiring and the move to Bee Cave, Barbara became a volunteer at Lakeway Elementary School in the 1st grade. Barbara loved the children and staff, and seldom missed a day in her 19 years as a volunteer, through January of 2015.
Barbara was a warm hearted and fun loving. She found humor in every day. To the last, she could laugh at the world and herself. Barbara was a joy to be around for her grandchildren, children and friends. She loved deeply and unconditionally the people in her life. She was a devoted mother, wife, grandmother and “a true and loyal friend”. Barbara will be missed by all who knew her – family, friends, neighbors, and those at Lakeway Elementary whose lives she touched.
Barbara was a member of Genesis Lutheran Church of Buchanan Dam and The Lakeway Church. Her faith, learned under her father’s guiding hand, was steadfast, and served as her compass and comfort throughout her life.
Together, Barbara and Scotty helped create the Southwest SIDS Research Institute in Lake Jackson, TX and established “The Rev. Jacob and Mrs. E. Leinninger Scholarship Endowment” at Concordia Lutheran College, Austin, Texas, in memory of her father.
Barbara is survived by sisters, Nancy Bremmer, Hagerstown, MD; Jane Holcomb, NY, NY; children Susan Birrell, Austin, TX; Jim Birrell (Vanessa), Peachtree City, GA; Mike Birrell (Barbara); Austin, TX and grandchildren Abby, Maggie, Chandler, Sage, Leah & Seth. Barbara is preceded in death by her parents Jacob & Elf Leinninger, her husband Scotty, her son Tommy, and her grandchildren Nicole & Bryce.
A Celebration of Barbara’s Life will be held at 1:00 P.M., Monday, February 16, 2015 in the Chapel of Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home with Pastor Ken Baisden officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are encouraged to be given in Barbara’s memory to the Concordia University Texas, “The Rev. Jacob and Mrs. E. Leinninger Scholarship Endowment”, 11400 Concordia University Drive, Austin, TX, 78726, (512)313-5650, www.concordia.edu.
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