Barbara McKean

1944 - 2021

McKean, Barbara K.

MADISON - Barbara K. McKean, age 76, of Madison, passed away on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, at Agrace HospiceCare, after a short illness.

Barbara was born on Nov. 10, 1944, in Moscow, Idaho, the daughter of Donald L. and Agnes (Siden) Weeks. She graduated from Moscow High School in 1963 and then attended the University of Idaho, graduating with a degree in geography. While there, she met her future husband, George A. McKean, who was an electrical engineering professor. They married in Idaho on Dec. 18, 1965, and moved to Madison in the late 1960s as George took a position at UW-Madison. They moved to Madison's west side in the early 1970s, as George left the UW to help found National Electrostatics Corp in Middleton, where he worked until his death in 2001.

Barbara worked as a senior tax preparer for H&R Block, a position she held for decades, mainly because she loved spending time with and helping her many longtime clients and friends. She was also an avid knitter who worked part-time at the Knitting Tree in Madison and was active in a knitting social circle. She helped found a hockey moms' support group long ago and, with the help of Nancy Olson, continued to meet with them regularly until her recent illness.

Barb and George were active supporters of the UW Hockey program, and Barb was a past president of the Blue Line Club. From the 1970s through the '90s, dozens of UW hockey players, as well as other UW students, enjoyed Barb's cooking and occasional sewing and knitting, George's tutoring and hot buttered rum at Christmas, and Barb and George's combined warmth and guidance. Barb and George regularly traveled to Badger hockey games all over the country, including national championships in Boston, Duluth, and Grand Forks. They were friends with just about everybody associated with the hockey program, from Buzz the usher at the Coliseum, to equipment managers Tom Kolby and Rob Malnory, to players like Mike Dibble, Ron Griffin and Chris Tancill (and their parents), to head coach Badger Bob Johnson and his boss (Martha, not Elroy).

Barbara is survived by her Badger Buddy "sons," Garry (Tia) Bunz of Middleton, Terry (Laurie) Kleisinger of Edwards, Colo., and Steve Novak (Fiona Cowie, deceased) of Pasadena, Calif.; cousin, Robert "Bob" Froman (Monica Fox) of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; and longtime friends, Stan Peckham of Madison and Jim Logan of Pullman, Wash. She was preceded in death by her parents; and her beloved husband, George.

A visitation and memorial service will be held at GUNDERSON WEST FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 7435 University Ave., Middleton, on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. Friends are invited to attend the visitation from 4:30 p.m. until 7 p.m., with memorial service at 6 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be gifted in Barbara's name to Agrace HospiceCare, Fitchburg (https://www.agrace.org/donate/).

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson West

Funeral & Cremation Care

7435 University Ave.

(608) 831-6761