Barbara L. Elter

Barbara Louise (Bennett) Elter was born on March 28, 1927 in Lowell, Massachusetts to Jonathan Bennett and Agnes Roe Bennett. She graduated from Lowell State College with a degree in Music Education in 1948, received a Master’s in Music Education from Bridgewater State College in 1955, and a Doctorate in Music Education from Boston University in 1963. During her early career Barbara taught music and art in the Lowell, Massachusetts elementary and junior high schools, was a lecturer at Boston College and an Associate Professor of Music and Fine Arts at Lowell State College. During a sabbatical leave from Lowell State in 1968, Barbara toured Europe for six months to study music programs in Hungary and Austria and met a handsome fellow, Jan Elter, a professional photographer from Norway. Jan and Barbara were married in Lowell, Massachusetts in 1969.

Barbara and Jan spent a honeymoon year touring North America and Europe in a small car and trailer that Barbara dubbed “the caravan,” before ultimately settling in Germany. From 1970 to 1995 Barbara worked for the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) at various military bases in Germany as a music teacher and later as Coordinator of Music for Germany Region 1. During this time, Jan was also very successful and won many awards and accolades for his photography. Throughout their almost 40 years of marriage, Barbara and Jan traveled all over Europe and spent many wonderful vacations on the Isle of Majorca off the coast of Spain. In 2008, Barbara and Jan moved from Germany to Oklahoma City to be near her brother, Fred Bennett, and his wife, Marcia.

Barbara’s four decades in Europe allowed her to follow both her passion for music and music education. Her tastes were eclectic and whether it was Bizet’s Carmen in Wiesbaden, Diana Krall in Paris, or Die Kapelle Schwarzfischer in her beloved Munich, she was always appropriate in her role as audience. She was actively involved in chapel music and loved singing with her DoDDS music colleagues at the many conferences she arranged while music coordinator. Barbara mentored hundreds of European music educators and was fondly known to them as “Mother Music.” Through the vagabond nature of DoDDS, Barbara’s musical hand touched the lives of thousands of children and adults in every corner of the world. One of Barbara’s lasting legacies is the DoDEA-sponsored “Creative Connections” visual and performing arts workshop held annually in Oberwesel, Germany, which she and DoDDS colleagues Carol Mauch and Inge Burke, established over 40 years ago.

Barbara made many life-long friends everywhere she went, and continually received cards, letters, and phone calls from former DoDDS colleagues whose friendship she cherished. She was the consummate note writer and gift giver, especially finding the best children’s books for her great nieces and nephews. Barbara was always impeccably dressed and stylish, sophisticated and worldly, fun loving with a warm and engaging personality, compassionate and kind to all. She had a wicked sense of humor and a quick wit, was very well read and always intellectually curious. She was a very devout Catholic and proud member of St. Charles Boremeo Catholic Church, where she was previously selected as St. Charles Woman of Achievement 2014-15. She volunteered with the Women of St. Charles, Meals on Wheels and the Dorothy Day Center.

Barbara was preceded in death by her husband, Jan, her brother, Fred Bennett, and her wonderful friend, Elizabeth Brown. She is survived by her sister-in-law and great friend, Marcia Bennett of Oklahoma City, and brother and sister-in-law Gunnar and Anne Elter of Bergen, Norway, nephews and families: Michael and Kati Bennett, Colleen, Tim, and Stephen of Greenwich, Connecticut; Paul Bennett, Grace and Nora of Rochester, New York; David Bennett of Washington, D.C., all who knew her as “Aunt Barbie”; John and Benedikte Elter, Hilde and Ann Kristin of Norway; Frank and Gry Elter, Filip and Elias of Norway; and Henry and Moyfrid Elter and Robert of Norway, all who knew her as “Tante Barbara.” Special family: Rebecca Brashier of Stuttgart, Germany; Nancy Muzatko of Stuttgart, Germany; Jay Lordan and Paul Harsha of Boston, Massachusetts; Michael Hargreaves of Washington, D.C.; Shannon and Justin Rossetter, Carter, Dreyton, and Pierce of Golden, Colorado; Valerie Williams of Oklahoma City; Cheryl Clark of Oklahoma City; Maria Hill of Edmond; and Vanessa and Ryan Cunningham of Oklahoma City. And by many, many friends and former colleagues who loved and admired Barbara for the wonderful, gracious, and kind woman she was. “What we once enjoyed and deeply loved, we can never lose, for all that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” Helen Keller

A special thanks to Barbara’s physicians with OU Physicians: Drs. Crawford, Harville, Rousan, Abu-Fadel, and Pakala, and the clinical team of Rodee, Tony, Katy, Annette, Taryn, and Charles with the OU Medical Center. The collective teamwork and compassionate care by all these individuals was excellent. And, thanks to the Staff at Saint Ann’s Retirement Center and wonderful friend and confidant, Theresa Patrick.

A funeral mass will be held at St. Charles Boremeo Catholic Church on Saturday, February 24, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. with internment following at Rose Hill Burial Park.