SJ Barnsley

Super smart and funny as hell, SJ maintained her wits and her humor to her last day. She will be missed by her children–Alan Barnsley, Alison Barnsley, Anna Barnsley Werblow, and Amy Barnsley–six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren, and by her brothers, John Mosier and Joe Mosier.

SJ led a peripatetic life, from early childhood in Flint, Michigan and Hialeah, Florida, and high school in Durand, Michigan and Miami, Florida, to striking out for Anchorage, Alaska at 17 years old. Her wanderlust and optimism kept her seeking new adventures, and she lived in Spokane, Everett, Snohomish, Reardon, and Olympia, Washington; Albany and Phoenix, Oregon; Oakland and Riverdale, California; Delta Junction, Anchorage, Soldotna, and Healy, Alaska; Ishpeming, Michigan; and even took a job in Mérida, Mexico for a time.

Fiercely independent, SJ spent fewer than 12 of her adult years living with a partner. She was fond of the adage, “A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle.”

After complications from surgery resulted in paraplegia at age 76, SJ defied the pessimists at the Mayo Clinic who suggested she move into a nursing home. With determination and hard work, she became strong enough to live on her own, managing all her day-to-day activities just fine, for the past few years, thank you very much.

The family will have a celebration of SJ’s life in late July. In lieu of flowers, the family would like to receive anecdotes or stories from SJ’s many and widely-dispersed friends. Please email to aabdesign at gmail.

SJ was a voracious reader, with more than 1,200 finished books on her *current* Kindle. Should you wish to honor SJ, please consider supporting free and open libraries. Should you wish to honor her children, stop smoking. Even if it is very, very hard: stop smoking.