Barbara was a lot of things in her life. She was a wife, a mom, a grandma, a co-worker, a friend, a neighbor, a patron, a really good person.She had a green thumb, and she loved her windchimes. She kept birds as her allies, or enemies... it depended on the mood of the bird, and she still kept the birds well fed and happy. She helped so many that needed a hand. She loved Bob Marley, and she liked a cold beer. She always had a smile and a kind word, for everyone she met. She was a ray of sunshine in a world that really needs more people like her. I hope that you too have fond memories of her, and I hope that some of these words make you smile.She made me smile everyday, and I know that she remembered you fondly too.

In April of 2014 Barbara was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer. The cancer was in her left lung and in her lymph nodes. Stages. We learned a whole new vocabulary. Diagnosis, prognosis,what a specialist really meant, percentages of five years, all the scary phrases.  Google was my friend and my enemy.

Barbara waltzed into the Florida Cancer Specialists office and made 3 new friends. She opted for the chemo and radiation at the same time.  She was a fighter....She Fought. 

Proactive treatment meant that they had to radiate her brain too.... 15 times

Barb lost her hair, her long,  grew all her life hair. A woman from the cancer center, a new friend knitted a hat special for her, peach colored, and she wore it proud.

Spring turned into summer, The docs advised protien, she liked London Broil, rare... or a buger with a cold beer.   She finished weeks on weeks off, of chemicals. Drained some days, Spinning her wheels the next.

Did I mention she was a fighter?

Her body was full of cancer, but her life was full of her family. Her son was married, Barb was beautiful. Another grandson born, Barb took pictures. She drove around in her Jaguar, estate sales, visiting friends.

In December, Barb got her first quarterly exam and was told "not just remission, but cancer free"

We started plotting our next adventure......

But..... In mid January, Barbara fell outside the grocery, she broke her arm. Two days later, she fell going out to get the newspaper, she broke her ankle. The cancer had invaded her spine. It hit fast and it was deadly.

We went to the hospital..... and if you know Barb, she takes care of everybody else, but she goes to the hospital to visit. That's it. To visit. Reminds me of a story about Barb, a fast car, and needing a hospital.....but that's another story for a different day....So many good stories.

Barb fought...again.  We tried chemo in the form of Lumbar injections, and I thank Dr. Wenk for the passion with how we fought this, and I thank him for the honest information that he gave us.

I brought Barbara home mid February with the wonderful care of HPH Hospice, and we were lucky enough to spend her final days with her many friends, and family. I was lucky enough to sit with my wife, my best friend and my life partner when she took her last breath on Monday March 2, 2015.

Cancer can be caused by many things, but smoking cigarettes is a major contributer, and is attributed to many deaths.

Barbara Anne Theresa Horick (nee) Dean Mozingo was born in Albany New York, and lived in many locations until she settled in Florida at the age of 10.  

  After a short lived marriage at the age of 18 that produced a beautiful son (Joseph John Dean) ........

she met the man that her mother warned her about.  "Me" 

My age of 32, and Barbara being 19, semed like quite a mismatch. But it was true love. 37 years later I can confidently tell them that they were all wrong. We were married in 1981  and we never looked back.We were blessed with our second son (William Edward Mozingo) a year later.

   Barbara was  truly a people person, her kindness, love and respect made people love her forever. To this day her ex mother in law Nancy loves her like a daughter. Barbara always noticed the person in the position.

Barbara worked as a waitress from the age of 12 until her passing. She was very, very good at what she did. She was considered a role model and a mentor to many newbies over the years. 10 years at the Ho Ho Chinese, 10 years at the Port Tarpon Marina, 10 Years at Bob Evans Holiday, and 6 years in Port Richey. She had so many customers that restaurant hopped just to see her.

Barbara also lived for her 3 kids ( I'm # 3).   We raised our kids with all the sports, and supported the teams. There were camping trips, Superbowls, snorkeling in Jamaica. Great old cars and motorcycles. The kids went everywhere we did. We really lived a good life. Barbara was a fun grandma. She loved all of her grandchildren, and she liked to induldge them when she could.

In 2005 our "baby" Billy moved to San Fransisco and for the first time in 30 years we were empty nesters.

 You know how when you are on a super vacation and you look at each other and say "Wow !! wouldn't it be awesome to live here?" Well, Barbs sense of adventure would not be denied.In 2006  we packed up, crossed the country, and put our car on a boat. We lived in Maui, Hawaii.  We were content. Beauty all around,a bungalow for us, and we could walk to the beach. We met more good souls who are still friends today.

Surfing, snorkeling, paddle boarding,good people, good times, even the earthquakes, a tsunami or two, these were some of Barbs happiest times.

Her mother fell ill,in 2008 and Barb, withought a second thought... packed up and headed back home to take care of her.

 We came back to the upper 48, and Barb did what she always does.... she took care of buisness to the best of her ability. 

 Again, we were content, plotting Belize....Unfortunatley life had other plans....