In Memory

Barbara Hoskins (Jacobus)

Barbara Hoskins (Jacobus)

I received an email today from Barbie's youngest daughter informing me that she had passed away on Tuesday. She had been ill with a flare up of her Crohn's Disease and "other issues". The doctors could do no more for her so she went on Hospice Care. Jackie said her passing was peaceful and she wasn't in any pain. I'm relieved that her struggle is over. She had so many health problems and was in and out of hospitals for several years. I knew you'd want to know. There will be a service in No. California in late January or early Feb. I will keep you posted.

Sue Emerson Clark

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I went on your class website to post the information that Barbie had passed away and Sue Emerson Clark had already taken care of it. Thank you, Sue … I was kind of dreading doing it. It made me feel so good to see what nice memories you all had written about Barbie. Since I was only 2 years older than you all, some of those are memories I also have of her (and you). In spite of the pain she lived with for over 50 years, Barbie remained a bright light in our family. She was a great quilter and knitter, and many of us were the recipients of the projects. In addition to her two daughters, son-in-law and grandson, she is greatly missed by her siblings (Judy, Mollie, Maggie, Sarah, Katie and Paul) and their families. Thank you again for taking the time to write. It means a lot to all of us.

Note to Dede: I think being “thrown in” was the rite of passage for being a Tahoe guest!

Judy Hoskins Simpton

 



 
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12/25/14 07:26 AM #1    

Pamela Russell (Platt de Barba)

As bizarre as it seems, exactly two days ago, when I had a slight back ache, I thought of Barbie, who suffered from back problems all her adult life. I thought, Pam, you ought to write to Barbie now that you have contact information. It was the day she died. As children we were actually trusted to wheel the quads to the park in that huge baby carriage. We had a great time together with her lovely family. Rest in peace. 

 

 


12/25/14 01:55 PM #2    

Lowell Daun

Rest in peace, Barbie. She was my senior prom date, and friend for the two years I was at PHS. We saw each other a few more times over the years, at kids' swim meets, soccer games, etc. 

I am glad you're out of pain.

 


12/26/14 08:25 PM #3    

Kathryn Kasch (-)

well yes, we were all so close ... our Moms were friends, and our Dads had been together at Stanford Med School ... I too remember pushing the big baby buggy w/ the quads ...

I'm sorry we never really re-connected - esp. since 1991 when I moved back to the Bay Area from Mass.

sad news,  Kathy/Kathryn

 


12/27/14 02:14 PM #4    

Sue Emerson (Clark)

I received the email from Barbie's daughter, Jackie, about her passing. Such sad news, but also a relief knowing she is out of pain! She was in our wedding, and I, along with my husband, Dan, was in hers. We stayed in contact throughout the years; I always received a birthday card on my Bday. We recently saw her in Simi Valley where she was living with her daughter, Jen, and Jen's husband and son. Life was always difficult for her, but she always had an amazing attitude! Her daughter will let me know when the memorial service will be and I will let you know. It will either be late January or early February. I will miss her so much! She was a dear friend. My thoughts and prayers go out to her sisters and brother.


12/29/14 11:17 PM #5    

Marilynn (Muff) McCann (Darling)

It warms my heart to read these loving memories of Barbie! She and I were close friends from age ten, when I moved across the street from her on Waldo Ave., until her death. For 58 years!  But she was also the rare person who could make and keep lots of good friends, as many of you have shared. Apparently we all helped push the quads in that huge baby buggie :). We were also in each other's weddings - she traveled to Orange County for mine despite being sick, which I didn't know at the time. I remember visiting her at Peralta Hospital the year she spent 9 months being turned every half hour while recuperating from spinal surgery. She defied her doctors by getting pregnant twice, but her daughters were the lights of her life along with her grandson, Noah. When Jackie contacted me about her death, I was shocked because I had received such an upbeat letter in October. She thanked me for sending my placemat from the reunion. It was a photo of me, her, and three other friends all dressed up for a Christmas tea - in our first high heels and gloves. Her comment, "we were SO young". After a lifetime of poor health, I am relieved she is finally at peace. But I miss her so much already. 


12/30/14 01:51 PM #6    

Hallie Jean (Dede) Mitchell (Dow)

Dear Classmates,

I was so sad to hear the news about Barbie.  As several of you have commented, we were very close at Havens and in Junior High, but not so much in High School, so after we graduated I regret I did not keep in touch with her.  What a tough life it must have been.  Everytime I asked someone about her over the years I only heard that she was in poor health.  I would rather remember her as the vibrant, fun pal she was in her youth.

She invited me to stay with her family one summer at Tahoe.  I guess I was such a pain that one night her older sister Judy and a few others took me down to the dock and threatened to throw me in the lake.  Assuming they were joking, I cooperated while two girls took my hands and two took my feet, and they began to swing me...one, two, three--and over I went.  There is almost nothing colder than Lake Tahoe at night, especially when you least expect it.  But I probably deserved it.

Barbie was an integral part of my childhood and I would run up to her house on the other side of Dracena Park at a moment's notice.  Of course I remember pushing the quads' baby carriage around as well, and I distinctly remember feeding them in the four highchairs, all lined up in a row.  You would just spoon something up and shove it in the first mouth that opened.  Great memories.  I loved her mother, who was just so open and jovial and her father, the serious and quiet plastic surgeon with deadpan humor.  I have a stash of photos and I wish I could figure out how to post them.  One is of my first grade birthday party, with Barbie front and center.  I have serveral of her with the quads in my back yard, and some of us in our early teens at Pt. Lobos, sitting at a picnic table with my Mom, feeding the squirrels with scraps of our picnic.

I will hold all those fond memories close to my heart.  She was a great friend, and I am just heartbroken for her family, but happy for her that she is out of her pain. 

 


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