Barbara Sieminski

BARBARA JOYCE SIEMINSKI, 74, passed away on Nov. 20 at Parkview Randallia after an extended illness. A native of Fort Wayne, she was a 1964 graduate of Elmhurst High School and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of St. Francis. Her career was spent as a freelance writer, poet, and photographer for numerous local and national publications, such as Fort Wayne Newspapers, Seventeen, GLO, Senior Life, Municipal, Today’s Catholic, Indiana Auto & RV, Hoosier Outdoors, Home Living, National Lampoon, and Lakes. Barb was an accomplished artist and published poet, who won several national poetry awards. She also had been a nationally certified therapeutic horseback riding instructor at Camp Red Cedar, where she directed Special Olympics at its horse shows for several years. In spite of her hearing impairment, she privately instructed students in guitar for more than 40 years. During her employment in Fort Wayne Mayor Paul Helmke’s Public Information Office, Barb received a special commendation in 1989 for her volunteer commitment to improving the lives of hearing-impaired individuals, given by the National Association for the Deaf and the Mayor’s Deaf Awareness Action Task Force. Treasuring the outdoors, Barb was an avid fisherwoman and nature lover, extensively capturing God’s creation in her art and writing.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Joyce and Leonard Sieminski. Survivors are her sisters--Cindy Kanning (Jim) of New Albany, Ind.; Chris Castor (Jim) of Holt, Mich.; and Julie Goodwin (Greg) of Fort Wayne; and nieces and nephews--Bethany Goodwin Colgrove (Nick) of Winston-Salem, NC; Andrew Goodwin (Brittany) and Zachary Goodwin (Micah) of Fort Wayne; Emily Goodwin Lehman (Alex) of Charlotte, NC; Jenny Kanning Wasson (George) of Floyds Knobs, Ind.; Todd Kanning (Julie) of Cedar Park, Texas; and Sarah Castor Vandenboss (Kevin) of Grand Ledge, Mich. She was a special part of the lives of her great-nieces and nephews: Ainsley, Lauren, Harrison, and William Kanning; Kate and Brianne Wasson; Caia, Desmond, and Dominic Colgrove;Emma and Jayden Goodwin; Zoey, Sadie, and Mason Goodwin; Ellie, Julia, and Will Lehman; and Lucie and Hadley Vandenboss. Visitation will be at 1 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 4, at Central Ministries, 5801 Schwartz Road in Fort Wayne, followed by the celebration of life service at 2. Please enter through Door #1.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers that memorials be sent to Matthew 25 Health + Dental Clinic, 413 E. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne, Ind. 46802; or Central Ministries at the above address.