Aarolyn Barbara Galbraith

After numerous medical setbacks and comebacks over the past 2 years, Aarolyn Barbara Galbraith cast off the bonds of this earthly life on Saturday, December 27th, aged 94 years, 1 month, 23 days. She died at home with her sister at her bedside.

Born November 4, 1931 at the old White Cross Hospital to Malcolm Hine and Pauline Barbara (Dickman) Galbraith of Columbus, she was a graduate of St. Mary of the Springs Academy (Class of 49) and held a BS degree in marketing from the College of Commerce of the Ohio State University (Class of 53). She was a member of Alpha Chi Omega, forging friendships that lasted a lifetime.

Aarolyn began her working life with the Ohio Department of Highways before moving to San Francisco and joining Crown Zellerbach, where she handled travel and housing arrangements for CZ employees worldwide. Another move took her to the east coast, where she remained through the end of her career. Residing in Arlington, VA and working in Washington D.C., she was affiliated for many years with the American Association of Medical Colleges, concentrating on AAMC’s medical faculty roster project.

Upon retirement in 1996 she returned to Columbus, moving into the Upper Arlington home her parents had built in1958 and remaining there until her death. Over that 30-year period, she undertook the Great Home Remodeling Odyssey that morphed into an annual “what’s she doing now” contest.

Aarolyn was a woman of many arts interests – theatre, ballet, symphony – and talents. Taking a Home Economics sewing class in her freshman year at St. Mary’s, she became, over the years, a highly skilled and accomplished seamstress of her own wardrobe, with a remarkable eye for fabrics and style.

Concurrent with her sewing skills were her cross-stitching skills. Producing an amazing range of subject matter, many hang in her home, admired by many and evaluated as “museum quality” by knowledgeable critics.

And she loved to travel, covering all of the Lower 48, most of Canada (the Maritimes remain on her Bucket List), many islands in the Caribbean, Ireland, Great Britain, all of Western Europe. Opting to drive everywhere, she managed narrow roads, terrible weather, wrong turns, poor directions, hostile border guards (remember the Cold War?) left-side driving, balky cars. But she was always up for the next adventure. She rode the coastal steamer from Trondheim (Norway) to Kirkenes on the Russian border; she climbed Vesuvius (dormant at the time) with a guide who kept saying “No be afraid, lady; no danger”. But she drew the line at a planned trip to Egypt, the highlight of which was a midnight dinner on New Year’s Eve at the Great Pyramid, clearly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But shortly before, a group of German tourists was attacked and killed in a politically motivated act. Hearing that, she nixed the trip with a cryptic “yeah, sure; dinner at 12, death at 12:30”.

Aarolyn was predeceased by virtually her entire family – fraternal and maternal grandparents, parents, numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. Her sole survivor is her sister, Paula Jo Galbraith, of Upper Arlington. During 2025, her care was managed by a wonderful team of home aides: Sharon, Elizabeth, and Diane. They came as strangers and became loving friends.

At her request, she was cremated, with no attendant memorial service. A celebration of life will be held at a date, time, and place to be decided.

Aarolyn was sometimes underestimated in her commitment and determination, but she was the epitome of “sure and steady wins the race”. When all seemed lost, she appeared out of the mist, coming about, rounding the final marker, crossing the finish line, and sailing safely into port. She was the best of us.

Your journey is over, your challenge met, your peace achieved. God speed, my funny, dear, lovely, stylish, elegant, beloved sister!