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BORN
1942
DIED
2020
FUNERAL HOME
Barbara Wattman Obituary
Wattman, Barbara C.
Age 77, died unexpectedly May 28, 2020. She was born September 23, 1942, in Evanston, IL, to Robert and Ruth Carlson. She is survived by a son, Walt (Dawn) Wattman; daughters Teckla Wattman and Jana (Clint) Sesow; grandchildren, Andrew and Jordyn Wattman, and Alana and Tatum Sesow; brothers, Robert (Nancy) and Larry (Jilladair) Carlson; numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents and by a grandson, Joshua Wattman.
Barbara grew up in Evanston, and was an artist from her earliest years. As a child she loved drawing horses. She pursued her art at Ripon College, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the University of Illinois where she received her degree in art history. Her home was filled with her paintings. In 1966 she married Walter Wattman and moved to Wichita. They later divorced.
In Wichita she took graduate-level art classes at WSU, and taught there and at the Wichita Art Association.
She was a bicyclist and was active in Oz Bicycle Club for a number of years.
Barbara developed a love of genealogy and was a member of the Scandinavian Society. She worked to learn Swedish, and worked tirelessly with her Swedish relatives to create the story of her maternal grandmother and her grandmother's eight siblings going back to the 1600s. She traveled to Sweden four times. This was a favorite time in her life.
In her later life, Barbara earned a masters degree in gerontology and worked in the memory care unit at Catholic Care Center.
She was very active in the Adoration group at St. Joseph Catholic Church, often volunteering to cover Christmas Eve or other difficult times.
Rosary will be Thursday, June 18, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. with memorial mass at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, June 19, 2020, both at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 132 S. Millwood, Wichita, 67213. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Joseph Catholic Church, or WAAL, PO Box 21401, Wichita, KS 67208.
Memories and Condolences
for Barbara Wattman
Ann James
September 23, 2020
Happy Birthday dear Barbara! You are enjoying the most wonderful birthday with our Lord and Savior, Jesus. But how I miss you. Barbara and I have been friends since we were 3 or 4 years old. We lived across the alley from each other in Evanston until her family moved to "north" Evanston. We lost contact for a while, but through Barbara's persistence reestablished our correspondence, FaceTime, phone calls, and letters. I so miss talking with you today.
Sincere sympathy to her family and friends. You are all in my prayers today, as I know it must be even more difficult for you who interacted with her more frequently.
Hopefully, Ebba and Lucy are adjusting.
Robert, or as I remember you, Robbie, my brothers Lee and David Sherrill played with you also when we were wee tykes.
Paul Babich
June 18, 2020
Barbara was a loyal member of our lector ministry at St. Mary's Cathedral for a few years and I got to know her then. She was so thoughtful, respectful and friendly. My sympathy to her family and friends. May she rest in peace.
Liz Meier
June 18, 2020
She was a kind, hard working person. I knew her from Catholic care center. She was always someone I could depend on in any situation, good or bad. She enjoyed listening to Loretta Lynn with the residents during lunchtime. She always spoke her mind.
She will be missed.
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Carol (Slaughter) Hodge
June 17, 2020
I was in a bridge group with Barb in the 70s. I knew her to be a gentle soul, and always concerned for the less fortunate. Her art and your memories will live on. The world is less for her passing.
Mats Gustafsson
June 17, 2020
Barbara made several visits to Sweden to meet her relatives. We had looked forward to see her more times. We remember many good memories from the visits, going shopping, taking tours to Christmas Masses, eating Christmas table and visting our homes. Gottfrid likes the basket shirt he got at the last visit. Barbara learned to speak Swedish which made it easy to speak to Eira and Nils and learn more about the older relatives. Barbara also took good care of us when we went to Chicago for the family reunion. May the love of friends and family carry you through your grief. We will light a candle and give our warmest thoughts for you.
Diane (Franks) Roberts
June 17, 2020
Sending my sincere condolences to Barbara's family and many friends. She was an amazing woman. I worked with her when she was a legal assistant at the McDonald Tinker law firm in the early 90s. That was just one of the many things she excelled in during her lifetime. She was always so friendly and kind. And a good and faithful servant of the Lord.
Diana Henning
June 17, 2020
I spoke with Barbara regularly over the past couple of years because my dog Lola loves her dog Ebba! We could not walk past her home without Ebba bolting into the backyard to see Lola. Barbara would soon follow, and she and I would share wonderful stories as the dogs played. Our walks will never be the same now. RIP Barbara; we will miss you dearly.
Tisha Kirk
June 16, 2020
Barbara was a wonderful soul. She was so sweet, loving, and intelligent. I am so privileged that I got the opportunity to work with her at Catholic Care. We would talk the entire shift about any and everything. She was always talking about her family and she was always asking about my newborn child at the time. She cared so much for the residents as well as everyone else.
Lucille Borggren
June 16, 2020
Barbara was helping with my Swedish ancestry and I was so grateful for her help. She was having some problems with it but she was hopeful she would solve them. I knew her only a short time but she was very kind. She was a delightful person.
Arnold
June 15, 2020
I first met Barbara while we were in the OZ bicycle club and while still married to Walt. We all then enjoyed bike riding around Wichita and the Kansas landscape back then. I then ran in to Barbara again years later at a mutual friends Finally Friday art event. She was a great travel friend, buddy and fun to be with, we were able to travel to South America a couple of times, i.e. Peru and the sites to see in Southern Peru, i.e. the Nazca Lines, Arequipa, Lake Titicaca, and Machu Picchu, and later when we traveled to Ecuador and the Galapagos Is. which was one of the most interesting and fun and adventurous trips we did. Some years she invited me to go to Sweden with her when she was doing some genealogy research into her family history which was much fun also, I was privileged to have been allowed to travel with her. She had a great mind set I loved her ideas and thoughts and incite in to things, had a calming and peaceful effect, I liked her knowledge of Art and we went to a Van Gogh exhibit in Denver a few years back. She was so dedicated to her work and church and supporting it. She was the one person I would travel to the ends of the earth with and did. My condolences to her family, she will be missed.
Ernestine R Hallacy
June 14, 2020
Barbara was a very sweet and kind person. She was a person you could talk to about anything. I will miss her smile and laughter.
Tom Church
June 14, 2020
My condolences to the family....Barbara was a gentle and loving presence with residents of the Memory Care center at Catholic Care Center and for that we were very thankful....Tom Church, Executive Director, Retired
Kathy Carter
June 13, 2020
I was so lucky to know Barb! Ive cut her hair for many years, we became great friends. I heard from Barb, that she had to cancel her hair appointment, as she was in the hospital, she would reschedule as soon as possible, the pandemic caused us to be very late cutting her hair. I assured her she was in my prayers. I will miss her so much, we had great conversations about anything and everything. What a interesting loving person, very spiritual, and cared deeply about the Lord, her family, and her fur babies. I will cherish her memory.
Carol Jones
June 11, 2020
Barbara and her family were members of Christ Lutheran Church here in Wichita. I always found her to be an interesting and kind person. I remember when Teckla was serving in Operation Desert Storm and I wrote her a note. Another time she and a member of our congregation took a trip together to Chicago. Over the years, I would see Barbara out in the community and we would visit the same as always. She will be missed. My condolences to the family as you mourn her unexpected death. Peace be with you.
Marilyn Landreth
June 11, 2020
Barbara was a wonderful, caring and compassionate person. She was always ready to help with tracking down your Swedish ancestors, helping the elderly in their daily challenges, or giving a hearty laugh. She was curious, always wanting to learn something new. She will be missed; I will miss her. RIP
Zoe Kelly
June 11, 2020
Remembering my cousin Barbara, I 1st think of her laugh. One couldnt help smiling as she expressed delight with that deep, joyous laugh. I also remember her art. I was jealous of her great talent. I remember being a young girl and thinking she was so cool. I wanted to be just like her. What a rich, full life she had. I loved her dearly.
Katarina Ortmann
June 10, 2020
Barbara was a student, in the little swedish class I had, when we lived in Newton, Kansas.
Wow, she did so well and I was very proud of her.
All my students also became good friends with me, and ment very much to me when I just came from Sweden to marry and live here in the USA.
In the beginning it was hard for me to be here. I missed Sweden so much. But, because of Barbara and the other students in my Swedish class, it was so much easier for me.
We had so much fun together when we celebrated Swedish traditions and always had fika ( Swedish coffee and cakes) every week.
Barbara sometimes came to visit me just by herself in my home, and of course it meant very, very much to me. I believe it meant a lot to her too, because she wanted to talk about God with me and I often prayed with her.
I miss her!!
Larry Carlson
June 10, 2020
I will miss my wonderful big sister.
Dave Carlson
June 9, 2020
Aunt Barbara was a talented artist who also had a talent for genealogy. We learned so much about our heritage from her relentless work in tracking down and researching our ancestors.
Joan Omo
June 8, 2020
I was just recently given the pleasure of knowing Barbara through the St. Joseph Parish Christ Life group. Barbara and I were at the same table and shared in small group discussions. Barbara's deep faith and love of the Lord was known to all at our table. I soon came to love and admire her. My deepest sympathy to her family and friends.
Jilladair Carlson
June 8, 2020
Such a smart, loving woman whose smile lit up rooms. Love you,Barb.
Sara Jones
June 8, 2020
Barbara's beautiful, energetic spirit and her love of life shone as a bright aura surrounding her. She was a special friend in our close circle of genealogy friends known to each other as the Gaggle. It won't be the same without her. I send my love and heartfelt condolences to each member of her family.❤
Patricia Mannion
June 8, 2020
You are deeply held in our prayer...
Centering Prayer, Wichita
Steve Carlson
June 8, 2020
She was a wonderful aunt and adventurous spirit.
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