Survivors include her daughter, Eva Joanne Kvaas (husband George Kvaas) of La Mesa, California, two grandchildren, Caroline F. Kvaas and David L. Kvaas of La Mesa; as well as several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank T. Bachmura, son, Rolf S. Bachmura, parents, Kenneth and Josephine; and three brothers, Dushan, John, and Edward Lee.
In 1955 Barbara married economist Frank Bachmura at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Granville, Ohio. She and her family lived in Nashville, Tennessee, Santiago, Chile, and Takoma Park, Maryland before coming to Bloomington in 1963.
Bara had a life-long association with art. When she was a high school student at Cass Tech in Detroit, she took private oil painting lessons with renowned portrait painter, Harold Hayward. She earned both BFA and MA degrees in art at Wayne University and Taught at Wayne University, as well as Saint Mary’s Hall in Faribault, Minnesota and Denison University in Granville, Ohio. Bara received a Fulbright grant to Norway for 1952-53. She lectured and exhibited paintings at home and abroad. She was also a former president of Arts and Letters.
In 1966 Barbara, along with her family, opened and ran Bloomington’s Children’s Museum for several years out of their E. Second Street garage. Many Bloomington residents have fond memories of stopping at the museum on their way home from Elm Heights school to view one of the fascinating displays that Barbara had meticulously arranged. Displays included Indiana Limestone, International Dolls, African Masks, Insects and more.
Bara has traveled extensively in Latin America. In 1984 she made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and in 1998 she made a trip to view the Holy Shroud in Turin.
In 1990, culminating a long search for truth and for her Orthodox roots (Serbian on her father’s side), Bara was Chrismated Orthodox. She then studied iconography at the St. John of Damascus School of Iconography under Phil Zimmerman. Her beautiful icons are treasured by members of her church and others.
Bara was a member of All Saints Orthodox Christian Church in Bloomington as well as an honorary member of Saint Nicholas Serbian Orthodox church in Indianapolis.
Visitation will be Friday, March 12, 2021 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM with a Trisagion Prayer Service at 7:45 PM in All Saints Orthodox Church, 6004 S. Fairfax Rd. The Orthodox Christian Funeral Service will be Saturday, March 13th at 10:00 AM in the church with the Reverend Father Peter Jon Gillquist officiating. Entombment will take place in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
Flowers would be appreciated, as would donations to All Saints Orthodox Christian Church, 6004 S Fairfax Rd, Bloomington, IN 47401, or I.U. Foundation, Frank T. Bachmura Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 6460, Indianapolis, IN 46206 or National Society of Arts and Letters, Bloomington Chapter, NSAL Bloomington, 2600 S. Henderson St. #124, Bloomington, IN 47401.
