Barbara May Allen Zander

COLUMBIA – Barbara May Zander, 92, died July 19, 2020. She will be buried in Greenlawn Memorial Park with a private ceremony. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Iris Garden Club, 100 West Sunset Blvd, West Columbia, SC 29169, or to a charity of one’s choice.

Born in 1927 in Oakland, CA, she was the elder of two daughters of the late Thomas William Allen and Hilda Prowse Allen, both naturalized U.S. citizens who had emigrated from Penzance, Cornwall, England, in the early 1920s. She graduated from Technical High School in Oakland, CA and attended both Merrit Business College and El Camino Junior College in the East Bay area.

She married Frank H. Zander in 1949 while he attended the University of California at Berkeley (UC). In order to support his scholastic pursuits, she got a secretarial job in the UC Treasurer’s Office, enabled his graduation in 1954 with an Air Force commission, and earned her formally presented PHT degree (recognition for “Putting Hubby Through”).

In 1954, the Zanders became a career Air Force family. As military service required frequent relocations, Barbara made a home for her family in over 24 locations in Europe and the U.S.A. She dedicated herself to some forms of community service in every one of these areas, in chapels, schools, Red Cross units, thrift shops and more. In times that her husband was off on temporary duty elsewhere, including two 1-year tours in Southeast Asia, she took charge of all home duties, including lovingly raising their four children. Upon his retirement from the Air Force in 1978, the family elected to settle in Columbia, SC. Even then her yen for involvement in community service led to years of working as a volunteer with the Cooperative Ministry in Columbia.

Barbara loved gardening and arranging flowers. She joined and became very active in the Iris Garden Club, studied hard to become a Master Gardener, served two terms as the club’s president, and participated in its flower shows.

She was predeceased by her husband of 60 years, Frank Howland Zander; her two older sons, Frank Allen Zander, and Gregory Mark Zander; son-in-law, Richard Bryson; daughter-in-law, Vienna Zander; and brother-in-law, Richard Duffas.

Survivors include her daughter, Sharon Zander Bryson of Perrysburg, OH; son, David Howland Zander (Patricia) of Columbia, SC; daughter-in-law, Edwina Zander of Cerritos, CA; sister-in-law, Rae Duffas of Livermore, CA; sister and brother-in-law, Beverly and Frank Rigley of Pleasant Hill, CA; eight grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family. Memories may be shared at www.dunbarfunerals.com.