In Memory Of Barbara Jean Grossman
Barbara was at a high point in her life of 72 years. She had just completed the semester at the University of Kentucky, having taken full advantage of her senior residential benefits to indulge her passion for learning and challenging her intellect (of which she had more than her share). She went so far as to enroll in all her classes as a full-time, degree seeking student would — writing all the papers, taking the exams and, of course, getting straight A’s. She was admired and respected by professors and fellow students alike.
Her memory was bordering on photographic and rarely ever failed her. She was a fabulous writer and keeper of words. To say she was passionate about ancestral research is a vast understatement. She traveled throughout the US, Canada and Europe in search of distant and unknown descendants of our grandparents and was successful in locating cousins whom she visited and corresponded with regularly. Clearly, she longed to learn as much as she could about where she came from. Doors she never knew existed, opened up to exciting new discoveries and relationships that enriched her life beyond words. She became fluent in French and conversational in Russian. Remarkably, she maintained a friendship with her teenage pen pal in Turkey that existed up to the end of her life. That’s how fiercely loyal she was. She was devoted to her partner Mark of 40-some years and was a cat whisperer of the highest order.
Some time ago, a friend gave Barbara a recommendation of a PBS documentary about obstetric fistula called A Walk to Beautiful. Barbara was deeply moved and inspired to participate in the “cure.” It didn’t take long for her find out about the Fistula Foundation and its dedicated mission to help end fistula. She left behind a clear directive to contribute to the lifesaving work of the Fistula Foundation. Your donation goes a long way toward that end while honoring the memory of a kind, compassionate and generous woman who never lost sight of doing the right thing.