Barbara was born in Springfield, Missouri, on Easter Sunday, April 4, 1926, to Lawrence Lane and Frances Whalen. As a young woman, she graduated from Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Des Moines, Iowa, with the class of 1947. She married Earl Zimmerman (of the Frank Street Boys) who would become her best friend and joyful partner in marriage. They met at the Alibi Bar in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Together, they had three children before moving to New Mexico and then San Diego, sharing an adventurous life that later included homes in Green Valley and Phoenix, Arizona, as well as Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. In 2006, they finally settled in Austin, Texas. She and Zimmer lived a wonderful and interesting life until his death on their 69th wedding anniversary on November 6, 2017.
Barbara was a woman of wit, curiosity, courage and humor. These traits were on display very young as she had to repeat Kindergarten because of attending the playground instead of school. She was an amazing big sister to Anne and Joan. She would read the comics to them as small children. She loved to laugh, but more than anything she loved her Lord Jesus Christ and her family. As a devout Catholic, her faith inspired everyone around her. She maintained her sense of humor and joy until the end. She was grateful for the dedication of her daughter Joni and the wonderful hospice care from Cella Bella.
Barbara is predeceased by her beloved son, Larry, her sister Joan Gaugush and her husband Earl. She is survived by her sister Anne Roush; daughters Laney Brown (Robert) and Joni Haza; grandchildren Susan Payne (John), Kasey Pruitt Tait (Brandon), Sean Klingler (Lauren), Danny Klingler (Mary); and great-grandchildren, Gabriel Cardenas, Shaun Tait, Austin Payne, Zoe Payne and Murphy Marie Klingler.
Her family was blessed to have a wonderful Mother, Grandma and Great-Grandma.
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