Barbara Von Zuben Fosdick

Barbara Von Zuben Fosdick, beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, died peacefully in her sleep during an afternoon nap on the 22nd of October 2025 at the age of 98. She was treasured by all who knew her.

Barbara was a beacon of light, a lover of history, an advocate of the power of storytelling and an avid reader of National Geographic. She eagerly shared her passions, from impressionist art and world travel to proper table manners and Aesop’s Fables, with her many grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her daughter, Debbie, who we lost too soon to ALS and her husband, John, to whom she was married for almost fifty years. Debbie and John have waited patiently to welcome her.

Born on the 6th of February, 1927, in Fort Worth, Texas to the late Frank Joseph Von Zuben and Beatrice Von Zuben, Barbara lived a remarkably full life, whether spent at St. Michael Catholic Church or the Blue Bird Circle volunteering, at the Museum of Fine Arts and at the Houston Country Club, watching her grandchildren at the pool one day and modeling clothes in the ballroom for her daughter, Cathy, the next, or embarking on far-flung international journeys to indulge her fascination with many cultures, religions and perspectives.

She graduated in 1948 from the University of Texas at Austin, where she was highly active across several organizations, including Chi Omega, the Fort Worth Club, where she served as Social Chair, and the T.S.C.W. Club, where she served as President. She earned a handful of era-appropriate acknowledgements, placing as a Finalist for Posture and as a Bluebonnet Belle. Following college, she married John Jay Fosdick and moved to Dallas, where Jan and Cathy were born. The family then moved to Houston where they welcomed John Jr. and Debbie. Barbara raised the four children and a countless number of their close friends who were fixtures at their home on Stones Throw.

Barbara took her Catholic faith seriously. She was a Lector at Holy Mass, President of the St. Michael Catholic Women’s Guild, President of the Charity Guild of Catholic Women, member of The Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, Theresians of Houston, the Blue Bird Circle and the Newman Circle supporting the University of St. Thomas.

Barbara, known as “Grammy” to those she loved the most, was the matriarch of an ever-expanding family as well as a dear friend to many. She is survived by her children – Jan (Billy) Doherty, Cathy (Joe) Cleary, and John (Janet) Fosdick, her son-in-law – Robert Glauser, her grandchildren – Jennifer (Paul) Randall, Emily (Mike) Saathoff, Billy (Whitney) and Christopher (Katrina) Doherty, Kellie and Jay Glauser, John (Brigid) and David Fitzpatrick, Joey (Maddie) Cleary, Randi (Jeff) Koenig, John III (Neva) and David (Grace) Fosdick, Anna (Tyler) Foglesong, Katie and Blake Fosdick, and her great-grandchildren – Katie, Luke and Sam Randall, Tyler (Bella), Ellie, and Brooks Saathoff, Adrienne, Margot and Juliette Doherty, Turner Doherty, Dylan Glauser, Jack and Caroline Fitzpatrick, Tanner and Hayden Koenig, Finley and Saoirse Fosdick, as well as her upcoming additions in 2026 – her 18th, 19th and 20th great-grandchildren will be arriving along with her first great-great grandchild.

Friends are cordially invited to gather with the family and share remembrances of Barbara during a rosary service to be held at six o’clock in the evening, on Wednesday, the 29th of October at St. Michael Catholic Church, 1801 Sage Road in Houston.

A funeral service will be conducted at ten o’clock in the morning on Thursday, the 30th of October, at St. Michael Catholic Church, 1801 Sage Road in Houston, followed by a private family burial.

Those honored to serve as pallbearers during Thursday service are Wilfred Lansing Doherty, III, John Stokes Fitzpatrick, David Daniel Fitzpatrick, John Fosdick, III, David Fosdick and Blake Fosdick, along with Robert Glauser as an honorary pallbearer.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be directed to St. Michael Catholic Church, 1801 Sage Road, Houston, TX 77056, the Catholic Charity Guild, 1203 Lovett Boulevard, Houston, TX 77006, or the Methodist ALS Clinic, 6560 Fannin Street, Scurlock Tower, 8th Floor, Houston, TX 77030.