She was born in Santa Rosa, California on December 11, 1950 to William and Leona Kasten.
Barbara grew up in Lawndale and attended grade school in the Lawndale Area. She met her husband Ronney in middle school and the two would create a relationship that would span years of friendship and 44 years of marriage. Barbara was a part of the graduating class of 1968 at Leuzinger High School in Lawndale and played in the marching band with Ronney. After High School, she attended junior college at El Camino College, earning her Associate in Arts, and then earned her Bachelor’s in Arts from San Diego State University in 1978. Continuing her life of education, she was awarded her Masters in Arts from San Bernardino State University in 1982.
Barbara and Ronney started their life together in Riverside and would live there for 20 years. They decided to move to Lemoore in 1999 and she lived her life out there.
Barbara worked for 33.5 years as a Special Education Teacher at the following schools:
John W. North High School in Riverside, California
Norte Vista High School in Riverside, California
Collett Elementary School in Riverside, California
Lemoore Elementary School, in Lemoore, California
Mark Twain Elementary School in Corcoran, California
In addition to teaching, her passions included reading, crossword puzzles, traveling, playing games, gardening, spending time with her family and dog Rocky, spending time with her church friends, and playing the clarinet in the church ensemble.
She was preceded in death by her parents William and Leona Kasten, and younger brother Kenneth Kasten.
