Barbara Micielo Muncaster Short, 85, of Garland, passed away Wednesday, February 20, 2019. A Celebration of Life will take place on Saturday, March 16, 2019 at 2:00pm at Calvary Lutheran Church, 9807 Church Rd, Dallas, TX 75238. A private inurnment will be held at Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery at a later date. She is survived by her husband, Lt. Col. (retired Army) Audrey John Washington Short; children, Kathleen Banks (Ben Banks), John Short (Patsy Short), and Susanne Short; grandchildren Hunter, Brian and Katherine Banks, and Ryan and Erin Short, as well as her extended family.
Barbara was born August 22, 1933 in Washington, District of Columbia to Major (retired Army) John Harold Muncaster (West Point 1908) and Laurace “Pat” Hunter Muncaster. Barbara was proud of her parents and their family history. The Muncaster family has roots in England going back hundreds of years, and the Hunter family has military service dating back to the American Revolutionary War. Barbara’s father passed away when she was four months old from complications of his World War I service. He was a highly decorated soldier who earned the Distinguished Service Cross, French Legion of Honour, and French Croix de Guerre with Palm for his heroism. He was a champion bridge player and he was fluent in about five languages. Barbara treasured his special gift to her of her middle name, Micielo, “My Heaven.” Barbara and her mother stayed in Washington, DC, where Pat worked for the War Department helping to write condolence letters to World War II veteran families and later as an ace secretary in the DC area. They were relatively poor after the Depression, but Pat was a fantastic seamstress and hand-created Barbara’s doll clothes, party dresses and wedding dress. Barbara was named Most Beautiful Baby in DC from a photo. She loved art and took herself to art classes on the bus at a young age and has told us she and her friends played often in construction mounds around DC. Barbara treasured the time she and her mother spent during the war with her mother’s sister Connie, who had married her father’s nephew Bill, and her new baby double cousin Emily Kay, while Bill was serving in World War II, which included his service in the Battle of the Bulge.
Barbara started college at the University of South Carolina, which she interrupted to marry West Point graduate, Class of 1954, now retired Army Lt. Col. Audrey John Washington “Shorty” Short. Barbara was always enthusiastic and adventurous, and she loved raising a family in the military and living in many places [North Carolina (twice), Oklahoma, Texas (El Paso and Killeen), Hawaii, Vermont, and Maryland], her favorite of which was Hawaii. She finished her college degree in English at the University of Vermont while raising their three children during Shorty’s service in Korea. She loved reading Shakespeare, participating in theater, and volunteering her time as a Cub Scout den mother and as a Girl Scout Leader. They moved next to North Carolina, Maryland, and then to Killeen, Texas for a battalion command after Shorty’s service in Vietnam. Barbara worked as an administrative assistant to the editor of the Killeen Daily Herald, and later became an English teacher at Killeen High School. Barbara was a radiant, optimistic person with a generous heart, and she was a gifted, natural teacher. She had a great sense of humor, a hearty laugh, and she made and kept dear friends easily.
Barbara earned a Masters degree at SMU in Dallas, taught English and theater at Weatherford High School, later moving to Garland to be near her children and grandchildren. She worked in the Dallas schools where she taught English, Theater, Art, Spanish and English as a Second Language, primarily at North Dallas High School. She was also an instructor for the Dallas County Community Colleges, where she taught English and Speech Communication for many years. Barbara always had several jobs, and particularly liked being a precinct judge on election days, as she loved politics. Barbara and Shorty over time had drifted apart, but reconnected around their five grandchildren, whom they adored. Barbara loved cooking her famous apple crumb pie for family and friends, teaching grandkids to sew embroidered dish towels and other projects, reading, traveling, swimming, celebrating birthdays and holidays, and going to the beach. Her grandchildren loved her to tell improvised stories about a naughty raccoon (or perhaps a teddy bear) named Rascal. She loved art, creating her own greeting cards, cartoons and paintings. Barbara was simply joyful, loving and enthusiastic. She and Shorty married each other again and found a nice rhythm to their lives for their retirement years around their family. Later, Barbara was gracious and grateful to be at home with her family and beloved dogs as she faced hospice care courageously for a terminal illness.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Seasons Hospice Foundation (to support families in hospice care), 8537 Solution Center, Chicago, Illinois 60677, or to Calvary Lutheran Church, 9807 Church Road, Dallas, Texas 75238.
The family would like to express their gratitude for Barbara’s family and friends who loved and visited her; to her Calvary Church friends and team for their kind, enduring ministry; to the Season’s Hospice care team who spent countless efforts to support Barbara and her family in many important ways, allowing her to remain in her home with her dogs and family; and to her kind, caring, devoted aides Jane, Kevina and Judy, each of whom Barbara loved. Thank you all so very much.
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