This memorial website was created in the memory of our loved one, Barbara Preston who was born on October 21, 1949 and passed away on March 1, 2008. We will remember her forever.
As the third anniversary of Barb's death approaches, I wanted to create something more lasting for her memories. I do miss her very much. I think about her and our childhood as well as our recent pass. I am planning on adding photos, video and stories about Barb. I hope others who knew her will do so as well. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
BARB’S MEMORIAL in Ohio July 2008 given by her sister Pat
I find this memorial harder to do than the first that we had in Seattle. Barb’s death was such a total shock I don’t think the reality had sunk in. But now at times I find it much harder. She is missed by so many. We received so many e-mails, cards and phone calls from family and friends after her death. Her friends have kept in touch and several have come today from Ann Arbor, Boston and Las Vegas. They held remembrance events in Rochester and Ann Arbor in addition to our service in Seattle. Their responses helped so much to get us all through such a difficult time.
When I am really feeling down and missing her as I do often, I rely on the same source of comfort that I found in Seattle. Her photos albums- the hundreds of pictures she took when traveling, for family events, of her nephews and niece and all of her friends and their families.
As I look through them I feel as I did then that she is with me and we’re traveling through those events again. She really had a good life and did so much. She traveled all over the world. She came to visit Chris and I in England just after we were married after hitch hiking across Europe. She said she wasn’t afraid to travel on her own as she would stay at youth hostels and meet up with other students and then travel with them. She traveled to Russia before the fall of the Soviet Union and brought back photos, video and souvenirs of her travels, which she always did. She traveled to Turkey and met a Turkish student on the train who invited her to visit his village and attend his cousin’s wedding. She did and had a wonderful time. Her photos show her dressed in traditional costume at his village. She maintained contact with the family once she returned home.
She traveled to Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica. She documented her travels with photos and often with written descriptions of her travels which are very interesting. I came across one of her early trips to visit us in Yuma. It was great and I made copies for both my kids to save.
Barb loved to dress up and encouraged her nephews and niece to dress up. We had several murder mystery dinners in which everyone played a part and dressed up in the appropriate costumes. Barb would take the kids to the Salvation Army and buy pieces for the costumes. The kids loved it when Barb would come to visit, particularly when they were younger and would ask us (the parents) to go places and do things we weren’t quite up for, they would always say wait until Auntie Barb comes she’ll do it with us. We
have loads of pictures of Barb in costume. She would dress up at Halloween and pass out candy to the neighborhood kids or participate in a haunted house event.
She loved animals. She had her cat Raskol for twelve years and missed him very much when he died. She taught him tricks and he performed on local Rochester TV. She gave a grand birthday party for him in Rochester and invited friends. She made special invitations, a special catnip cake, had champagne. All of her Rochester friends remembered it well. She volunteered at the Seattle Humane Society. She house sat and
took care of cats, dogs and even horses when she was in Seattle. Her friend who owned the horses said she even road them as well.
Barb loved to take photos and especially videos at our family reunions. She would interview people and try and get them to tell stories about when they were young or funny stories about other family members. She loved to hear Milton tell his jokes and we have videos of those events.
She loved her nephews and niece and was very proud of her new grandnephew. Barb was able to visit at Thanksgiving just after Jude was born. She also got to come and see him at Christmas time. She loved children and enjoyed being with them. Her friends’ children remember her as do her niece and nephews.
In Seattle I said that we would be passing down stories about Jude’s great Aunt Barb and we will so that he will know and remember that he had a truly great Aunt who made friends and was loved by so many people who miss her dearly and will keep her memory alive. We won’t forget you Barb.
Tributes
Leave a tributeI can't believe yet another year has passed without you. The memories you have left behind will never be forgotten. I talk about you to your nieces and nephews and show them your pictures. Memories of you, the fun you had dressing up and acting in our murder mystery dinners are often recounted. Your friends send messages to me remembering you on your birthday. Remembered always!
I can't believe another year has gone without you. You continue to be missed by friends and family. You will be great aunt to another grand nephew. Heather is expecting a boy in early December. We are very excited to have another grandchild for Christmas.
Halloween is coming soon and we always talk about the costumes you created and encouraged us to wear. My favorite was the Murder Mystery dinner we had before Chrustmas in Crete when Dennis was just a baby. He is 27 now and continuing to pursue his artistic skills in making horror videos with friends. He is very good at the special effects and prosthetics for the videos. I think you would appreciate his skill.
I just went to the Beyond VanGogh exhibit here. You would have loved it -- the colors, the creative animation, the music, the quotes. This led me to listen to Don McLean's song Vincent many times, and wonder if the words "This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you" don't apply to you too, Barb.
So sorry you're no longer with us...
I was just talking about you this morning with a friend, not realizing what today was! I was telling her what an amazing person you were here in this realm.
You are very much with me every day, as my wonderful kitty, Raskol P, is now nine years old. As you can imagine, we have become very close companions in the last few years during our quarantine together, and we speak about you often (he is quite a talker). When I can figure out how to do it, I will post a photo of him for you black and very handsome, of course.
You had such an impact on all who had the privilege of knowing you and calling you "friend." I miss you terribly, but I treasure the memories of our adventures together - Cuba, Puerta Plata, Costa Rica, very amateur tennis endeavors, and many many Raskol birthday festivities.
I love you, Barb. Thank you for your friendship.
Marlene
Today, March 1, 2020 is the 12th anniversary of your passing. I can't believe it has been so long. You are constantly in my thoughts and will be remembered always.
I most miss you when I am with the grandkids. They had so much fun this past Christmas. We all got together at our cabin in the mountains of AZ. It snowed on Christmas Day. The kids had their sleds, they went sledding down the hills back of the cabin. They built snowmen and had snowball fights. I thought about you very much and know you would have loved it. You are in our memories always!
This post was from Oct 21, 2019, your birthday. Barb today was your 70th birthday! We are going to drink to your memory tonight. We miss you always but think sa bout you especially on your birthday. And because it"s almost Halloween. We think about how much you enjoyed dressing up and encouraging the kids to dress up.
This year Heather and family are dressing up as characters from Little Mermaid. Lucy, who is 3 now, will ge the Little Mermaid, Mateo, who.is 15mos will be Sebatian, the crab. Heather will be Ursula, the octopus and Mario will be Prince Eric. We are helping make the costumes. Uou would love it. We will be thinking of you as we make them and go out on Halloween. You have left us with so many happy memories. You are always with us.
You will always be remembered and loved.
Bill won't be leaving a tribute today but maybe he's telling you himself. I hope so."
Always missed.
Leave a Tribute
Remembering Barbara Preston
I have so many foind memoires of Barbara. Her parties were so creative as she made the decorations, the costumes and her creative side was unique. I attended her toga party with white toga sheets, grapes, and lots of photos! She had parties for her beloved cat Raskol with cakes stacked with wet cat food mountains, and fountains flowing! I used to play tennis with her at the tennis courts near Maplewood Park. I cross country skiied with her at Webster Park. I just enjoyed visiting her as she played wonderful music by Linda Ronstadt, and her friends and parties were beyond compare. She had an infectious laugh, brilliant wit, seductive smile, and she was a socialist all the way, and fought for civil rights. I think she would have been a Bernie Sanders fan today. Barbara Preston will be in my heart and soul for the rest of my days here on earth. She was a woman of the earth, loved nature and explored the beauty of many lands with a wonderful photographer's eye on the splendor of life. I am richer to have known her as her friends were lucky to experience Barbara Preston's being. She was larger than life, yet very humble, beautiful inside and outside. She will live with me forever. I love and miss my gentle friend, Barbara Preston.
Raskol II
Just want you to know, Barb, that I think of you every day, as my black kitty, Raskol P(Preston) Gordon, is alive and well, as rascally as ever. The bag from Seattle you gave me is getting pretty raggedy, but I still use it almost daily. Miss you so much - your intelligence, curiosity, creativity, kindness, fun-loving spirit and, of course, your passion for social justice.
Love you and miss you.
Marlene
Raskol is remembered, too
Brab used to dress her cat Raskol (short for Raskolnikov (from the character in Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment) in all sorts of outfits, just as she used to like to wear costumes. I'm not sure Raskol enjoyed it as much as Barb did. But we still have all of Raskol's outifts, and sometimes we dress up Scratchy (a stray that adopted us a few years ago). Scratchy is no more enthused about clothing than Raskol was, but it's the least they can do for all the room and board we provide.