Barbara Butler Brackbill

She was an only child and spent her childhood and adolescence in State College, graduating from PSU in 1957 with a BA degree in Secondary Education.

Barbara and her newly minted husband John moved to Seattle immediately after graduation.

Barbara was a founding member of Marcus Whitman Presbyterian Church in Kent, WA in 1959 and quickly established a reputation as the church organist drawing on her favorite pastime in high school as an accompanist for various choral groups.

Barbara became a member of Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Bellevue, WA after relocating to Media, PA in 1963 and subsequently returning to Bellevue, WA in 1965. There she assumed the role as the Church organist and stayed in that role for many years. Through this period Barbara taught piano to multitudes of children in the Newport way area of south Bellevue.

In 1995 Barbara and John moved to Tucson after retirement. Again, Barbara established herself as a church organism there.

After subsequently returning to Bellevue in 2006, Barbara and John spent the remaining years at Timber Ridge.

Barbara is survived by John, two children, Joseph and Carol Larsen, five grandchildren, Kjel, Nicole and Erick Larsen; and Clara and Henry Brackbill, children of Andrew who predeceased Barbara in 2022. Three great-grandchildren will continue the lineage.