Barber, Lynn

Lynn Barber, of Blacksburg, Va., passed away in early the morning of Sunday, November 27, 2011. Lynn is survived by her husband, Don, of Blacksburg, Va.; her son, Corey and his fiance, Lai Yan Li, of Herndon, Va.; her son, Michael and Karen Godnick, of Juneau, Alaska; her mother, Jane Seaman, of Simi, Calif.; her sister, Ann Greenough, of Los Olivos, Calif.; her sister and brother-in-law, Madeline and Richard Ceccarelli, of Bakersfield, Calif.; her sister and brother-in-law, Diane Barber and Rick Ellis, of Mill Valley, Calif.; and numerous relatives and dear friends. Lynn was born in Burbank and raised in Simi, California. She attended the University of California at Davis, where she earned a BS in Biological Sciences, and the University of California at San Francisco, where she earned her degree in Medical Technology. She worked for a year in Woodland, Calif., while her husband, Don, finished school, and then at the UC San Francisco medical center for several months before moving to Fort Collins, Colo., for three years for her husband’s graduate studies. They then moved to Athens, Ga., where Lynn worked in the local hospital as a medical technologist for several years. The family moved to Blacksburg in 1984.

Lynn returned to school and earned a BA in International Studies at Virginia Tech in 1996 and followed that with an MS in Urban and Regional Planning in 1998. While in school, she served as a volunteer for the Giles County Housing and Development Corporation in Pearisburg, Va., where she designed and conducted surveys and assisted in writing revitalization planning grants for the Town of Pembroke. As a graduate assistant, she worked in rural health policy research and with the Town of Pembroke in the Economic Development and Assistance Center.

As a graduate student, she received the Brenda Crawford Memorial Award for Public Service and Social Justice. Following graduation, Lynn worked as a community planning consultant for the Giles County Housing and Development Corporation and the Towns of Pearisburg, Glade Spring, and Rural Retreat, where she worked on needs assessments, surveys, comprehensive planning, development of goals, policies and strategies, grant writing and execution, downtown revitalization, and retirement communities.

As manager of the Bluff City Revitalization Project for the Town of Pearisburg, Lynn was primary author and manager of a major grant for sewer and storm water installation, water line replacement, housing rehabilitation, and road improvements and revitalization of low-moderate income households. Lynn also served as a program administrator for the indoor plumbing and rehabilitation loan program for Community Housing Partners Corporation of Christiansburg where she worked to complete indoor plumbing for low-moderate income households in Floyd and Montgomery Counties and the City of Radford.

As a subcontractor for Architectural Alternatives of Blacksburg, Lynn participated further in community development planning and downtown revitalization for the Town of Pearisburg. And as a subcontractor for Draper Adens Associates of Blacksburg, she participated in development of solid waste management plans for various counties and cities in Virginia. Lynn was an active member of the Blacksburg Presbyterian Church. She served on Session, was especially active in the Peace, Justice and Global Mission Committee of the church, having served as its Chair, and in the Malawi Committee.

She was also active in Cooper House, the Presbyterian Campus Ministry at Virginia Tech. She served on the Board of Directors for several years and then later for a few years as the Administrative Assistant to provide programmatic and clerical support for daily operations. Lynn’s sense of community and peace and justice were strong, leading her to participate in numerous educational and support activities in Guatemala and Malawi, to participate in international student support, and to travel to Mississippi to help with disaster relief.

Lynn was a loving wife and mother and a caring person with a smile as warm as her heart. She was physically fit and active in a variety of practices that included yoga, tai chi, meditation and African dance. Music and dance of all types moved her deeply. Yet swimming was her greatest love. She was a beautiful swimmer who truly felt both physically and mentally complete and at peace in the water.

The family would like to specifically thank the doctors, nurses, and technical staff of Blue Ridge Cancer Care who provided compassion as well as medical support, and Carilion Clinic Hospice.

A Memorial Service and reception will be held at the Blacksburg Presbyterian Church at 10 a.m. on Monday, December 5, 2011. In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial donations to the Malawi Programs of the Blacksburg Presbyterian Church, 701 Church Street, SE, Blacksburg, VA 24060.