My earliest memories of Barb were from infancy.  At just a few months of age she had minor surgery for blocked tear ducts.  I was probably five years old at the time.  But I remember my mom saying that my dad had to go into the doctor's surgery with Barb as she couldn't stand to go.  When she was at home and crying, I remember my dad walking with her in our top floor flat on Luther Street singing "O Dem Golden Slippers" and "Swing Low Sweet Chariot".  Probably songs they might have sung when he was a child.  But I never remember hearing my father sing except at that time.  My father and Barb were very close and Barb missed my dad very much when he passed away.

I remember Barb at about three when we lived on Hamilton St. in Allen Park.  She loved to watch Soupy Sales at lunchtime.  Soupy had a noon time children's cartoon show in Detroit.  Every day he would provide a suggested menu for the next day.  If the ingredients weren't in the house Barb would want my mom to go to the store so that she could eat her lunch with Soupy and his puppet friends White Fang and Black Tooth.  At about that time or around age four I remember her loving Uncle Wiggley stories and going behind my mom asking her to read them.  Barb did learn to read very early, I think before kindergarten. 

She and her cousin Linda were best friends and loved to dress up and sing and dance for everyone.  There is a photo in this memorial gallery of her and Linda in old bridesmaid dresses performing for the family.

I remember Barb did not like her first grade teacher as she was crabby and yelled a lot.  Barb generally liked school but not the first grade.  I think we were on Luther Street when Barb went to kindergarten and she got to attend with Linda.

In early elementary school one of her friends was my best friend Karen's sister Janice.  We have old movie film of them ice skating and pushing a lawn mower in our back yard on Russell St. in Allen Park. 

When Barb was in later elementary school and through high school and college our family lived on Palmer St. in Melindale Michigan.  Barb attended Melvindale High School.  Her best friend there was LInda Maccioni. Barb was a bridesmaid in Linda's wedding.

Barb won a tuitiion scholarship to University of Michigan.  She majored in psychology and minored in art.  She worked as well as attending classes.  She did very well academically and was always a good student.  I believe the job she liked best and stayed at longest while at the University was at a printing shop where she learned about priinting amd graphics. 

While at the University of Michigan Barb was very involved in activist movements.  She marched for anti-war, women's lib, gay rights,  health reform, etc. (Bill is able to expand on this as he and Barb have attended some of the same rallies and marches). This desire to participate in activist movements continued throughout her life

Barb earned a degree in psychology at U of M and then returned to obtain a degree in Art History.  Following earning that degree she found that getting into the field of art restoration was very difficult so returned to the University and obtained a degree in Computer Graphics.  After obtaining this degree she found employment with the Kodak Company in Rochester, New York.  I believe her stay in Rochester was the time of her life she enjoyed most.  She had many friends there and though frustrated at work at times seemed to enjoy parts of her job very much.  She liked using the equipment to create unusual and interesting photos for her family.