Barbara Turnbull "Barby" THORUP

THORUP, Barbara Turnbull "Barby" passed away peacefully surrounded by family on December 27, 2016 in Charlottesville, Virginia just shy of her 93rd birthday. Barby was born at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C. on January 5, 1924. At the time, her parents Col. and Mrs. Harold Todd Turnbull were stationed at Fort Eustis, Virginia. She was preceded in death by the love of her life, her husband of 58 years, Dr. Oscar A. Thorup, Jr., who died in 2002. She is survived by her three children, Cathryn Lynn Thorup; Lisbeth Todd Thorup and her two children, Schuyler Todd Thornton and James Miller Thornton III; Matthew Schuyler Thorup and his wife Noemi Cecilia Damonte and their two children, Natalia Raisa Thorup and Santiago Oscar Nicolas Thorup; family friend and "adopted" daughter, Linda Robertson; and sister, Patricia Schuyler Alexander and her daughters. Barby lived most of her childhood in Panama, on Corregidor Island in the Philippines, and in Hawaii. She was living in Hawaii at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor and, as a 17-year old, spent the next two days assisting the nurses tending to wounded sailors. She graduated from Punahou School in Hawaii and Sullins College in Virginia. She and her family (her father was a 1920 graduate of West Point) were also stationed at Fort Monroe, VA, Fort Totten, NY and Fort Sheridan, IL. After her marriage to Oscar Thorup at the University of Virginia Chapel, they lived in Charlottesville for forty-five years and also in Chapel Hill, NC, Oxford, England, Hawaii and a decade in Tucson, AZ. Barby enjoyed every moment of her time in Tucson, where she was a member of the Assistance League of Tucson, the Patio Garden Club, the Pima County Medical Auxiliary, the University of Arizona Hospital Auxiliary and Board, and served on the Board of the Tucson Historical Society. After returning from Tucson to Charlottesville, Barby became a member of the Junior League (formerly the University League), the UVa Women's Club, Greencroft Club, the Charlottesville Garden Club and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church. She loved playing tennis with her friends and had a great interest in both studying art history and researching the Schuyler family genealogy. Barby especially enjoyed gardening and horticulture and was a Master Gardener and volunteer with the Virginia Cooperative Extension. She was also a member of their Piedmont Garden Club. After moving to The Colonnades in 2001, Barby and Oscar quickly made many wonderful new friends and became very involved in a number of community activities. Barby served as an elected Director of the Residents' Association, chaired the Food and Beverage Committee, and represented the Residents as a member of the Building and Grounds Committee. One of her favorite projects was her work on The Colonnades Garden and she was Chair of the Garden Committee for a number of years. Born with an adventurous spirit, a keen mind, and a true zest for life, Barby loved to travel and read. Her greatest joy, though, was spending time with her beloved family and friends. Special thanks are extended to Dr. Diane Snustad and the nurses and aides in Skilled Nursing and Independent Living at The Colonnades, to Dr. Michael Williams and Kim Leake at UVa's Emily Couric Center, and to her dedicated caregiver, Jamica Colvin. The extraordinary affection and attention offered by many dear friends was especially meaningful and deeply appreciated. Family and friends will gather for a celebration of Barby's life at a later date and information on the timing of that service will be forthcoming. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made, if desired, to Punahou School '41, 1601 Punahou St., Honolulu, Hawaii 96822 or to a charity of choice.