Barbara Dedecker

BARBARA ANNE DEDECKER

July 15, 1951 - June 6, 2020

Barbara was loved for her very thoughtful, sweet disposition. She left us too soon. She loved to read and shared this passion with many people; Barbara also loved to dance, she had a lovely alto voice and, when catching up, you could hear her smile on the phone.

Barbara is survived by her sister, Carolyn and her husband, Dennis Croney, her brother, Robert Dedecker and his wife, Barbara, and her sister, Susan Dedecker; her nieces and nephews: Melanie Medeiros and her children Xander and Maddie, Lacey Dedecker and her son, Oliver, Robert Buxman and his wife Heidi, and their children Randy Buxman and Tiffany Kenworthy and her husband, Chris, and their daughter, Madison, Ray Croney and Ron Croney; her Uncle John Spitzer and his wife Ellen; cousins George Dedecker and his wife, Pamela, John and Anne Spitzer, Robert and Kelly Spitzer, and Stephen and Lisa Spitzer, and Barbara's best friend, Helen Kenny.

Barbara was a "Jersey Girl". She grew up, went to school and began her career in Bergen County, New Jersey. In the early 1980's, Barbara moved to King of Prussia, Pennsylvania and later Newtown, Pa. In 2002 she moved to Larkspur, Colorado and stayed there for 5 years (you could see Pikes Peak from the backyard!). From there she moved on to Castle Rock, Colorado, bringing her closer to Denver, where she was currently employed, and remained there until the present.

Barbara's continuing education spanned her career. She graduated Katharine Gibbs School in New York City, attended Dale Carnegie Leadership Institute, was a member of Toastmasters, made the Dean's Commendation List at Montgomery College, Blue Bell, Pa., completed her A. A. S. Degree in Business Computer Programming at Bergen community College, NJ, also attending Bucks County Community College in Newtown, PA, for Computer Science, Information Systems and Database Design and Application Development, where she made the President's Honor List.

Barbara was someone who genuinely had a good heart and was willing to help make a difference whenever she could. She firmly believed that one person could make a difference. Perhaps that was a helping hand, a friendly hello, a card to make someone's day brighter. She reminds her family of the "Starfish" parable.

Barbara's best friend, Helen, had sent us such a beautiful note that so captured Barbara's spirit, we wanted to include it here to share with you:

Dear Bob, Carolyn, Susan and family:

I offer my deepest condolences to each of you on the loss of your dear sister, Barbara. Since Carolyn gave me this unexpected, sad news, I have been remembering many of the times we shared during the last 46 years.

I met Barbara when we worked for Lever Brothers on Park Avenue. She was promoted to the position of computer programmer and I was promoted to her secretarial position in Sales. She showed me ‘the ropes' before she transferred. From the start she impressed me as an intelligent, sincere and reserved person. We continued to bond over cafeteria lunches and walks in Midtown.

Over the years, we met in Manhattan to go to museums, brunches, and shopping trips. We shared adventures in Boston, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Florida. We shared many laughs and great times together. When one of us needed a shoulder to lean on, or to cry on, our friendship was strong enough to endure. Barbara helped me through major losses just by being there, knowing the words to say and understanding me.

Once she drove from King of Prussia to Queens, New York to drive my husband, Ted, for a medical procedure. That was extraordinary and meant the world to us. When Barbara was given difficult, challenging times, she persevered and tried again. She worked for positive outcomes.

I believe Barbara was happiest when she was either going to see or recently returned from spending time with her family. She was a part of my family, always loved and welcomed in our home.

Barbara was an extremely thoughtful, helpful and kind person. She was one in a million. Barbara was and always will be someone that I will cherish as my true friend.

Love always, �'� Helen. ❤️

On closing, Barbara would like to leave you with a few thoughts:

TO THE WORLD YOU MAY BE ONE PERSON, BUT TO ONE PERSON YOU MAY BE THE WORLD

ATTITUDE

ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING

BE KINDER THAN NECESSARY,

FOR EVERYONE YOU MEET IS FIGHTING SOME KIND OF BATTLE.

LIVE SIMPLY,

LOVE GENEROUSLY,

CARE DEEPLY,

SPEAK KINDLY.......

LIFE ISN'T ABOUT WAITING FOR THE STORM TO PASS.

IT'S ABOUT LEARNING TO DANCE IN THE RAIN.

PRAYER OF St, Francis of Assisi

LORD, make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

Where there is sadness, joy;

O DIVINE MASTER,

Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as console;

To be understood as to understand;

To be loved as to love;

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.

It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

In August, Barbara will be interned in Hackensack, New Jersey, at Hackensack Cemetery, with her mother who is already at rest there. There will be a gravesite service and, conditions permitting, a celebration of life luncheon to follow. We'll make that date available as soon as we have it.