Barbara Jean Weber

Few people can say that they were loved by an entire community. Barb is one. Every time I think of Barb, I picture her infectious smile and remember how her statements usually started with a cocked head and a "well you know..." She will be missed dearly.

Barb left such a mark on so many peoples lives. Oh the kids she taught or just said "Hi" to in the hall. I worked with her for 20 years and can say she was one of the best. I met her really when she took over Kindergarten in Dane and had the awful job of being the "New" teacher for Mrs. Hamre's Class, among them was my son. He had gone through so many deaths by this time and she just seemed to know what to say to him. What he was dreading at the age was hard , his grandmother had passed away just that summer and then his teacher, but she took him under her wing and helped him right along. I always enjoyed working with her when she was back at the Lodi Schools. Always that smile on her face. She will be deeply missed, and never forgotten. Vicki Kepler

Immersed in tearful thoughts of my dear friend, Barb, I pondered, “What words can possibly describe adequately, the substance and impact of a life like hers?” I could write of how she honored and cared for her parents, her expressions of thankfulness and love for her brother, Mike and the deep love and pride that she felt for her beautiful, accomplished daughter, Jenny. That alone would certainly be enough to value her life. I could write of her devotion to her students at Lodi Schools during her twenty-nine years of teaching. Can one even count the number of students she impacted with lifelong skills, work ethics and strong morals? I could write of the solid, sister-like connection she maintained with her Oshkosh, now Denver, friend, Jean , from middle school on, who dropped everything rushing to be here with Jenny as soon as she heard the news. I could have chosen to elaborate on any of these important aspects of her life, but I decided to write instead of the portion of Barb’s life she reserved for people like me, luckily—her Lodi friends. I first met Barb thirty-seven years ago. There were several of us ladies who connected through community and church and within a year or so, we established a group of friends, of which Barb was a mainstay. We chose to call ourselves, “The Minocqua Girls” because although our lives intertwined in numerous ways throughout the days and weeks, a 4-5 day vacation, annually, to Minocqua, was our consistent connection. We share a deep, treasured bond with Barb and each other, sharing in the joyful times and supporting in the sorrowful times of our lives. But the thing about Barb is that her loving spirit of friendship could not be contained to just the Minocqua Girls. She connected in both a professional manner and as a devoted friend with her colleagues at school, maintaining those friendships and actually strengthening them after she retired. She would call people on a Friday morning “What are you doing tonight. Want to go out for fish and back to my house for Sheepshead? But Barb’s loving spirit of friendship could not be contained to just Minocqua and school friends. She joined the Ladies and Couples' golf leagues and a bowling league and developed three more circles of friends. Still, Barb’s loving spirit of friendship couldn’t be contained. She immersed herself fully into Bridge groups, not just one, but three! Even after friends would drop out of bridge, Barb didn’t let them drop out of her life. She would arrange social outings for two or three ladies, involving lunch, a concert and/or shopping. She would drive to their homes, help them maneuver their walkers to the car, restaurant, or gift shop and then drive her joy filled passengers back to Lodi. Still, Barb’s loving spirit of friendship could not be contained. She became an active member of her “circle” at First Lutheran, Lodi, and together with those friends, praised God through study and service. Still, Barb’s loving spirit of friendship could not be contained. She joined the Monona Senior Choir, bringing joy through song to residents of nursing homes, but also establishing an additional union of friends. My father always said, “Good people love to sing”. So true. Still, Barb’s loving spirit of friendship could NOT be contained. She was instrumental in creating the Birthday Girls group, a circle of friends formed under the premise of celebrating birthdays over the year, but again, really designed to create deep bonds of friendship that shared in every aspect of each life. Still, Barb’s loving spirit of friendship could not be contained. Just recently she learned how to play mahjong and opened her heart to yet another group of friends. There are more lives she touched, too numerous to mention. I know I have been blessed with the thirty-seven years that Barb has been a major part of my life, but in spite of that knowledge, my heart cried out to God at her death, “Not long enough, Lord”, and God whispered, “I know. That’s why I gave you eternity”. Delight in the joy of Heaven, our dear friend. Love never ends. We’ll see you again.