Barbara Ann Deakins

Barbara Deakins (Barb) aged 88, was born in Columbus, Ohio. She grew up in Columbus with her mother and father, two older sisters and one older brother. She went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, January 8th, surrounded by family, music, and happy memories being shared.

Barb graduated from Linden-McKinley HIgh School, took a job working for a downtown Insurance Company and began attending classes at the Ohio State University. She was singing in the church choir when she met the love of her life, a young graduate student named Dick Deakins. The two were married in July of 1960. The couple had two children, Judy and Mike and briefly moved to Kansas before returning to Columbus for the next 22 years. Barb accepted Jesus as her savior in 1970 and became a Bible Study Fellowship Children's Supervisor in 1975. She and Dick served in their church as youth group leaders and in a variety of other roles, including starting up the church's New Years Eve Outreach Ministry. Her family has fond memories of her spending long hours reading God's Word in the living room with notes and references scattered on the floor. Barb also worked as the Director of Christian Education at Maize Manor United Methodist Church.

In 1988 Barb and Dick moved to California and she began working as a teacher at a Christian pre-school. She became a docent at the Stagecoach Inn Museum and Chumash Indian Museum. She and Dick were very active at Emmanuel Presbyterian Church and traveled with church friends around the US building houses with Habitat for Humanity. In California Barb's greatest joy was hosting her grandkids at home, where they splashed in the pool, made puppet shows, visited theme parks, and enjoyed 4th of July band concerts at Tarantula Hill followed by fireworks at the mall. Everyone remembers good times on the beach in Carpenteria.

Barb and Dick moved back to Ohio in 2005. They were very involved at Berlin Church. Barb worked in the nursery, helped with Vacation Bible School, and developed many deep friendships. She was also able to spend more time with her family.

She is survived by her two children, 5 grandchildren, and 6 great grandchildren, 2 nephews and a niece.

"Though we have grief now, we will see each other again and our hearts will rejoice, and no one will take our joy away from us." John 16:22

The family wishes to thank all of the wonderful people that were part of Barb's Care Team and Hospice Team and the many family and friends that have loved Barb and her family over the years.