Barbara Boylan Schager

1965 - 2010

Barbara Boylan Schager 1965 - 2010 A Memorial Mass will be held Wednesday, Sept. 15, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Church, 900 "H" Street, for Barbara Boylan Schager, who passed away in Ames, Iowa on September 9, 2010, the day before what would have been her 45th birthday. Barb was the second of six children born to Helen and George Haller. She was raised and educated in Bakersfield, graduating from Garces Memorial High School and California State University Bakersfield. She married Kevin Boylan and together they had two sons, Jimmy and Matt. They were married for nine years before she lost her husband following an automobile accident. Barb's grief seemed insurmountable, and she was resigned to a life as a single mother. But Barb's faith became her lifeline. She began collecting the coins she would find on her daily walks, wondering whether God was sending her a message. The coins' inscription, "In God We Trust", resonated with her. A year later, a new chapter began to unfold when she was introduced to Jason Schager at the wedding of mutual friends. They married in 2001, and Barb and the boys settled into life in Iowa, planting roots with Jason. Two days after Barb's 43rd birthday, she was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer. With an indomitable resolve, she vowed to use her battle to heighten awareness of this disease and raise money for research. Friends, family, and complete strangers formed 'Barb's Army', and for nearly two years her sister Mary Kay chronicled her journey for everyone on her website, barbstrong.com. Through it all, Barb never lost her infectious smile, sparkling eyes and unique personality. Her stunning good looks belied the true beauty that was more than skin deep. Blessed with the gift of gab, Barb was a natural saleswoman, beginning at the age of eight selling Grandpa's surplus vegetables door to door out of her little red wagon. She eventually took her talents to real estate, telemarketing and retail fashion. Barb loved life and treasured her family ties and many rich friendships, as well as the multitude of parties that celebrated life's many milestones. In addition to her husband, sons and parents, those left to cherish her memory are her siblings and their spouses, Mary Kay and Ken Link, Dianne and Dave Peranich, Joan and Jeff Finch, Katie and Scott Metcalf, and Daniel and Tiffany Haller. She is also survived by her in-laws Joyce and Bob Schager, Scott and Ginger Schager, and Cindy and David Brown, as well as Doreen Boylan Abrams and Bob Abrams, Greg and DeDe Boylan, Jennifer and Dan Drake, Jennice and Steve Cerrina, Bryan and Traci Boylan and 27 nieces and nephews. Barb kept every Get Well card and intended to someday send a note of thanks. Though that day never came, her family wishes to thank each and every person for their thoughtfulness on her behalf. "Trust God" was the life lesson she carried with her through the grief process, and later, the fight of her life. It is now one of the greatest gifts she has taught Jason, Jimmy and Matt. In lieu of flowers, donations in Barb's memory may be made to one of the following organizations dear to her heart: Mayo Clinic/Pancreatic Cancer Research, 200 First Street Southwest, Rochester, MN 55905; St. Vincent de Paul Homeless Center Project, P.O. Box 3255, Bakersfield, CA 93385; Garces Memorial High School, 2800 Loma Linda Drive, Bakersfield, CA 93305. Those attending her celebration of life are encouraged to wear purple, the designated color for pancreatic cancer research. "My three favorite concepts, the ones that brought me to Ames, will carry me through this next journey - faith, hope and love." - Barbara Boylan Schager - 2008 alifesstory.com www.bakersfield.com/obits