Barbara Strycharz Markert

February 27, 1945 – March 22, 2021

After a 4 year battle with cancer, Barbara died peacefully at home surrounded by family and friends. She was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, but was raised right across the border in the small town of Blackstone, Massachusetts. She moved to Tucson in 1953, and she and her parents lived in a small trailer for several years while building their own house. Barbara attended the TUSD schools of Mary Lynn Elementary, Wakefield Jr High, and Pueblo High School (1962). She attended Arizona State College in Flagstaff for 7¾ semesters, and, in the last month of her senior year, she and other members of the Arizona State College School Senate helped rename the school to Northern Arizona University. She therefore had the distinction of being a member of the first graduating class of Northern Arizona University (1966). She was also very proud of the fact that at the graduation ceremony, she sat on the stage with the “bigwigs” and delivered the invocation. Barb began her teaching career in Sierra Vista; she taught 3 years at Carmichael Elementary before coming to Tucson to work on her Master’s Degree. While working on her Masters in the summer of 1969, she met her future husband and never made it back to Sierra Vista. She and Jim Markert were married in June, 1970; this union lasted almost 51 years. In 1971 they both completed their MEds and then purchased the house they continued to live in for almost 50 years. After marriage, Barb continued her teaching career in TUSD at Vesey, Henry, Marshall, and Dunham Elementary schools. She took an 18 year hiatus from teaching to be a stay-at-home mom to two daughters; she was also a “mom” to all the neighborhood kids who somehow always gathered at our house for after school goodies and fun. She helped with many activities, including as a volunteer school substitute and a Stephen Minister at Our Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church where she and Jim were active members for 50 years. After our daughters left the nest, Barb continued her TUSD career, finishing the last half of her career as an elementary school counselor. Early in our marriage, Barb helped start a Foreign Foods group. For over 45 years, this core group of 5 couples met monthly to share their friendship and a foreign dinner where each couple cooked a dish to share. For the last 20 years, Barb has been a member (and Treasurer) of the local chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma International Society, a group that promotes the professional and personal growth of women educators. We enjoyed our retirement years by taking as many cruises as possible (over 30!) and visiting our daughters in the Northwest and cousins on the East coast. Barbara was predeceased by her parents, Ted and Josephine Strycharz, and is survived by her husband Jim, and two daughters: Donna Sandlin (Alan) of Coeur d’Alene ID, and Debra of Seattle, WA. A visitation is planned for Wednesday, March 31 from 5:00-8:00 at South Lawn Memorial, 5401 S Park Ave. However, because of the COVID pandemic, a Memorial Service will be planned for a safe time in the future. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the American Cancer Society, or Casa de la Luz Hospice, or any charity of your choice.