Barbara Mae Shotwell

Barbara Mae Shotwell October 17, 1930-April 8, 2023

A life well lived.

Barbara was born on October 17, 1930 in Passaic, New Jersey to William and Henrietta Ostermann. She spent most of her childhood to young adulthood in La Grange, a suburb of Chicago. She attended Northwestern University in Chicago where she studied speech pathology. After graduation, she was a speech therapist in a public school near Chicago.

A few years later she moved to Jackson Heights, New York to become a stewardess for TWA where she met my dad, James Shotwell, a flight engineer for TWA. In his memoir, my dad wrote, “On one of my trips on the big Constellation, I was standing on the wing to check the fuel level with dip sticks which we put in there. I saw this young hostess walking up, a very pretty young girl and I thought, “Oh boy! That’s one for me. I’m gonna ask her out on a date.” Well he did, and the rest is history. They were married in Chicago on September 28, 1957, and moved to a new house in Plainview, New York. Unfortunately that was the end of her career with TWA because at that time, a stewardess could not be married. My parents welcomed me into the world on August 5, 1959. We moved to a beautiful house on Clay Pitts Road in Greenlawn, New York in 1962.  We welcomed my brother, James Shotwell Jr.  (Jimmy/Jim), into the world on July 12, 1964.

Throughout our childhood we attended St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Huntington Station, New York. My parents had many friends at St. Peter’s. At one time, my mom was president of the congregation at St. Peter’s. I am forever grateful to my mom for bringing me to church and teaching me about the love of Jesus. My mom loved to sing in church. I remember attending many church services with my parents and brother at St. Peter’s, singing hymns like “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”, “Beautiful Savior”, and “A Mighty Fortress”.

My parents loved to travel. Jim and I have many fond memories of vacations throughout the United States and Europe during our childhood. Their cabin near Sugarbush Ski Resort in Vermont was well loved. When Jim and I were older, she worked at a travel agency, and she enjoyed helping people with their travel plans. My parents lived in New York until 1996 when they moved to Rio Rancho, New Mexico. They had a beautiful home built on Manzano Loop, with a gorgeous view of the Sandia Mountains. They also had a vacation home built near Durango, Colorado where family gatherings were held and fond memories were made. My mom spent the majority of her adult life caring for her family. That included her parents, my dad, me and my brother, and her grandchildren, Ryan, Leigh Anne, Hannah, and Zachary. We have many wonderful memories of celebrating holidays, birthdays, graduations, weddings and other special occasions. As Leigh Anne said, “Grandma set the bar for holiday dinners”.

A special thank you to my mom for driving me to ballet and flute lessons. That fostered a lifelong love of music for me. I have great memories attending concerts and musicals at Pope Joy with my mom. I am grateful to my mom for encouraging me to become a Speech/Language Pathologist. It has been a rewarding career for 40 years. In addition, a special thank you to my mom for taking Leigh Anne and Hannah to horseback riding lessons at High C Acres in Corrales. That fostered a love of horses for both girls.

Barbara is preceded in death by her parents, brother, husband, and step-son Alan Shotwell. She is survived by her son Jim Shotwell and daughter-in-law Neal Shotwell, daughter Janet and former son-in-law Thomas Cooper; grandchildren Ryan, Leigh Anne, Hannah, and Zachary, and great grand-daughter Ary. Although she didn’t get to meet Ary in person, she definitely enjoyed seeing pictures of her. She is also survived by her step-daughter Anne and her husband Brian, her step-daughter-in-law Dell, step-grandchildren India, Katie, Frank, Steve, Suzanne, and Sara, step-great grandchildren Peyton, Corrine, Johnny, Sloan, Henry, James, Charlie, Will, Grace, Garland, and Aurora, as well as nieces and nephews. A special thank you to the staff at Fairwinds, Hospice of New Mexico, and Beehive Homes, Pastor Paul from Community of Joy Lutheran Church, and her companion Warren and his daughter Patty and son-in-law Tom. Thank you to our friends and family for your thoughts, prayers, and support. I’m sure Barbara will be remembered for her kindness and her beautiful smile. You will be forever in our hearts. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16.

Celebration of Life will be held 11:00AM, Saturday, June 24, 2023, Community of Joy Lutheran Church,841 Saratoga Dr. NE, Rio Rancho, NM 87144. Reception to follow at the church.