Barbara Babbit

Easter Sunday, April 5, 1931, the Easter Bunny delivered a basket to Wesley and Stella (Justman) Jones in Spooner WI containing Barbara. It was never quiet again. Shortly after, the new family moved back to Watertown WI to farm on Welsh Road. Barbara hated the farm so she managed to spend most of the time in town with her grandparents when she wasn't in school. She went to a one room country school through the 8th grade which was a very unique experience. Then the school was closed and it was off to Watertown Jr. and Sr. High School from which she graduated. The only enjoyable part of high school was the drama department. Then it was when off to Albion College, in Albion Ml for 2 years and then it was off to see the world. Wesley and Stella move to Loveland CO, but Barbara didn't stay, she went to TX. There she met the love of her life that she never married but was with on and off until he died in 1996. Barb went to CA, where she got a job selling magazines which took her back and forth across the US several times. She ended up in Jacksonville FL where she was trained as a department store buyer at Cohen Bros. She then went back to TX and then up to Denver where she was a buyer for Joslin's Department Store. At that time she was the youngest buyer for a major department store. The next move was to Los Angeles and the Broadway Department store as an assistant buyer and next to Leaskes in Santa Cruz CA. Barb then quit the retail business and went to school to become a technical writer. She got a job at Vandenberg AFB writing manuals for the Atlas missile. This was a very exciting time as she saw many launches and was there when J.F. Kennedy became the 1st US president to see a live launch. Then it was back to Los Angeles still writing for the Atlas. Then the trip was back to Denver and writing there. Again the government contract was cancelled and that was enough, Barb got out of the technical writing business and went to Cheyenne as a secretary but was bored so she finally decided to go back to college. She went to Colorado Teachers College which changed its name to University of Northern Colorado. When she graduated she taught spring semester in Burlington CO. That summer she married and moved to Fresno CA. She taught in the juvenile detention system for two years. Her father died and she and her husband moved to Cheyenne where so taught for 20 years. During her tenure there she developed the computer program for East High, received her master's degree and had a great time making many friends. She got a divorce and moved to Texas to be with the love of her life. She taught there for nine years. She retired upon the death of her friend. It was then a move to Berthoud to be closer to her mother. There came a time when it was necessary to buy a home in Loveland and have her mother move in. While in Loveland she became one of the first members of the New Horizons Band playing alto sax, golfing in Cattails and Olde Course leagues, joined the First United Methodist Church, played bridge in Foothill's Service League, was a member of Patriot Guard and Christian Motorcycle Association and was on the Home Owners Association Board.

"To my very special friend Spence Chapin and all my other friends THANK YOU for making my life so special. Do not grieve, instead go out and have a good meal and many laughs. There shall be no funeral. Cremation has taken place. It's been a great run!!!!! Bye!!!"