Barbara Anne Kline

A hurricane compressed into a diminutive 4’11” frame—that was Barbara Anne Schwartz Kline, Commander in Chief to three daughters, nine grandchildren, and ¬¬¬¬21 great grandchildren.

Powered by love, ice cream and regular infusions of Lorna Doones, Barbara made the best of whatever challenge life handed her: hepatitis, the death of beloved dogs, the passing of all her family peers and, most challenging of all, the loss of her life partner of 70 years—our wonderful father Marshall.

Barbara was fun, pragmatic, determined and feisty. She was a creative parent who painted smiles on our socks when we were sick, cooked us lord knows how many fantastic meals (her brisket and her collard greens were legendary), and primed us to “suffer for beauty” as she brushed the tangles from our unruly hair. She insisted that we always display good manners, write thank you notes for gifts, and torture unsuspecting guests with our rendition of “Sisters” from White Christmas.

Barbara touched lives beyond our family, too. When she was in her ‘90s, completely out of the blue, she received a note and an autobiography by Martha Elder, a woman who had worked for our family in Atlanta. In it were photos of us as children and an entire chapter devoted to how Barbara had changed her life—a rare friendship in the racist South of the early 1950’s.

Barbara found ways to communicate her love for us and her dear extended family even at the end when she was partially paralyzed and unable to speak after a stroke. She passed on peacefully, leaving us a legacy of precious memories.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.encinitaschapel.com for the Kline family.