Barbara J Mercer

MARSHALL - Barbara Jean Mercer, age 77, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 2, 2023, at Agrace HospiceCare. She was born on July 7, 1945, the child of Lorraine Carlson and Walter Goode, and was adopted on March 18, 1946, by the loving family of Robert and Ethel Pushee. The Pushee family lived in Zion, Ill. Barb married Buddy McClure on March 23, 1963, had three children, Tracey, Tim and Tiffany and lived in Winthrop Harbor, Ill. She divorced and moved to Sun Prairie, Wis., and in 1974 married Donald Drinka. After a second divorce, she married Robert Mercer on Sept. 21, 1978, and spent many happy years with him in Marshall, Wis., until his passing on May 31, 2014.

Barb graduated from Zion Benton High School in 1963. She attended beauty school and worked as a hairdresser. She was always trying something new and held many jobs over the years including police dispatcher, an administrative assistant at Royle Publishing, the University of Wisconsin Foundation and the National Association of Social Workers. She worked side-by-side with Bob at all their businesses: Bob’s Food Store, Park Place Supper Club, a liquor store, a clothing store and a catering business, all in Marshall. The companies were sold, and they moved to Scottsdale, Ariz., where they started a commercial real estate business and lived there for 10 years. Next, they moved to San Antonio, Texas, where she worked at various non-profits.

In 1990, Barb and Bob moved back to the Madison area, bought Pitcher’s Pub and owned and operated that business for 22 years. In 1997, Barb was elected as the first woman president of the Madison/Dane County Tavern League, was Senior Vice President for the Tavern League of Wisconsin and a member of the Safe Ride Program committee. She served on the city-county Task Force on Drunk Driving and was a member of the Madison Task Force on Race Relations. Throughout her life, she was active in local politics. Barb was a selfless woman who held fundraisers for those less fortunate and often invited those who had no place to go over to the house for a meal and a place to stay. She loved to cook, travel, boat, fish, golf, read, and spend time with friends and family.

Barb is survived by her children, Tracey McClure (Steve McHoes), Timothy (Suzette) McClure and Tiffany Swatek; grandchildren, Megan Rockhill (Nick Ives), Ryan (Zoe) Rockhill, Martin (Nikki) Swatek, Ashley Swatek, David McClure and Destini (David) Chaddock; great-grandchildren, Carter, Noah, Eli, Avah, Rylee, Ayden, Nova, Jackson and Michael; sisters, Janice (Gene) Chase, Ruth Magee and Sharon Guetzloff; and brother, Bob (Linda) Pushee. She is also survived by Buddy (Dessie) McClure and was proud that she had such a good relationship with her first husband and his wife.

A celebration of life will be held at PITCHER’S PUB, 323 W. Beltline Highway, Madison, from 12 Noon until 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 25, 2023.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Agrace HospiceCare or the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.
 

Gunderson East
Funeral & Cremation Care
5203 Monona Drive
(608) 221-5420