Barbara A. Blackburn

Funeral Services for Barbara Ann Blackburn will be held on Friday, September 27, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. at the Spirit of Grace Lutheran Church in Holdrege, Nebraska with Pastor Ted Carnahan officiating. Interment will be held in the Prairie Home Cemetery at Holdrege.

Barbara Ann (Viren) Blackburn, 83 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away on Sunday, September 22, 2019 at the Christian Homes Care Community at Holdrege. Barbara Ann was born on July 9, 1936 in Holdrege, to Ernie and Margaret (Raile) Viren. She was baptized on December 22, 1936, at Bethel Lutheran Church in Holdrege, and was later confirmed there in 1952. She continued to develop her faith through Bible study and service as a teacher, youth sponsor, Stephen Minister, and in various music ministries. She was a founding member of Spirit of Grace Lutheran Church, ELCA, in Holdrege and served on the governing board of Campus Lutheran Ministries at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

As the United States began to mobilize its defenses prior to entry into World War II, her family moved to Colorado in 1939, where her father was involved in construction at Lowry Air Force Base and Fort Carson. She entered Kindergarten in the Denver Public School system. In 1942, the family moved to Hastings, Nebraska, where her father was foreman of a construction crew building the Navel Ammunition Depot. Upon returning to Holdrege in 1946, her father continued in the construction business, and she entered the Holdrege Public Schools. While in high school, she participated in band, choir, various music groups, pep club, and was especially active in speech and drama becoming a Five Star Thespian. She was selected for National Honor Society, and elected to the Student Council. Part-time jobs included clerking, office work, assistant manager at the swimming pool, and children's programs at the city park. She graduated with the Holdrege High School class of 1954.

She enrolled in the University of Nebraska at Kearney; and in 1957, was awarded a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Education with majors in Speech and English, and a minor in music. As an undergraduate student, she was active in the Sigma Theta Phi sorority, and was inducted into Xi Phi, (an honor society recognizing leadership and scholarship), and other honoraries in speech and drama, English, and music. She participated in Choraleers, band, plays, musicals, the debate team, and the original Wagoneers drill/dance team. Her senior year, she was voted a Homecoming Queen attendant. She worked as a secretary in the History Department, and as a housekeeper. A life-long learner, she later earned a Master of Science Degree in Speech and Communications, and a Specialist Degree in Educational Administration.

Her fifty years as an educator began in September 1957, as a high school English teacher and speech/drama coach, and play director in Minden, Nebraska. In 1959, she accepted a position teaching an English/Social Studies block program for seventh and eighth graders in the Loomis Public Schools, and eventually the high school English classes. She directed the class plays, the forensics team, and was the pep club sponsor.

In 1962, she began a long career with the Holdrege Public Schools, retiring in 2000. Her first assignment was teaching the eighth grade Language Arts/Social Studies block program. When the block program was discontinued, she was responsible for the ninth grade English classes until the system reorganized into a middle school format, and she moved to the Holdrege Senior High School. At that time, she became the secondary level gifted program facilitator, and helped to write the Honors Language Arts Curriculum. Her final years as a full-time classroom teacher were spent teaching Advanced Placement English, college prep, and business communication classes. She resumed play production, assisted with the speech team, and was a Quiz Bowl team coach. She then substitute taught for seven years following retirement.

Barbara participated in the National Education Association, serving in all elected leadership positions within the local HEA, and on the State Board of Directors for the NSEA, and the NSEA-Retired. The Governor of Nebraska, Ben Nelson, appointed her to two terms on the Nebraska Professional Practices Commission. In 1996, she received the Kenneth Kohlscheen Award for excellence in teaching and professional service.

On August 16, 1958, she was united in marriage to Ray W. "Bill" Blackburn at Bethel Lutheran Church in Holdrege. In 2008, they celebrated fifty years of marriage. Bill passed away July 19, 2009. Three children blessed their marriage: William Ernst, Thomas Michael, and Daniel Scott. Together they enjoyed their family, traveling, their cabin at Johnson Lake, and their careers in education.

Barbara Ann was preceded in death by: her parents; her husband, Bill on July 19, 2009; her son, William E. Blackburn in 1995; her daughter-in-law, Norma Blackburn in 2017; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Ray and Etta Blackburn; sister-in-law, Margie Lippstreu and her husband, Stan; and brother-in-law, Clint Richardson.

She leaves to celebrate her life: her daughter-in-law, Christine Johnson of Columbus, Nebraska, and her children: Heidi Blackburn and her husband, Jared Alexander; Molly Felten and her husband, Nathaniel; and Michael Blackburn and his wife, Emily; son, Tom Blackburn of Superior, Nebraska; and his children: Raile Blackburn and Sierra Blackburn; son, Dan Blackburn and his wife, Jillian Hudspeth of Burlington Township, New Jersey, and their children: Piper Hudspeth Blackburn; William Hudspeth Blackburn; and Hinmatonyalatkit Hudspeth Blackburn; sister-in-law: Lucy Richardson of Hastings, Nebraska; and a host of other relatives and many friends.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, September 26, 2019 from 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in Barbara's honor, and kindly suggested to Holdrege Public School Foundation or the donor's choice.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com.

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.