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.