Barbara Anne Van Nimwegen

1941 - 2016

Barbara Anne

Van Nimwegen

Barbara Anne (ne;e Byers) Van Nimwegen died peacefully while surrounded by her family on Thursday, November 10, 2016, after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease.

Barbara is survived by her husband, Donald, and their children Derrik (Shawna), Michael (Nikki) and Kathryn (Tom Lachenmaier) and by her seven beloved grandchildren; Sophia, Garret, Clyde, Margo, Kate, Nora and Bradley. She is also survived by her brother Gordon and sisters Jane and Jennifer.

Barbara was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on February 7, 1941 to Donald and Anne Byers. She lived in Montreal until her marriage to Donald Van Nimwegen on October 22, 1966. On that date in 2016, they happily celebrated 50 years of marriage with all their children and families in attendance.

Barbara attended Miss Edgar's School and graduated from Westmount High School. Upon graduation from the Royal Victoria Hospital Nursing School as a Registered Nurse, she then worked at the Royal Victoria Hospital as charge nurse on the postpartum ward and operating nurse in the obstetrics operating room.

Following her marriage, Barbara immigrated to the USA and worked in the operating room of St. Margaret's Hospital in Boston. In 1969, she returned to Montreal to bear her first child, Derrik, while her husband served in Vietnam. She later moved to Seattle where Michael and Kathryn were born, and worked intermittently at Group Health Cooperative in Labor and Delivery as well as in the Operating Room.

Barbara travelled extensively, primarily as a member of medical teams who provided surgical care overseas. She went on some 35 missions to 13 different countries, changing the lives of many children with cleft palates, club feet, and burns.

Barbara's life was full of service and success. Her greatest love and pride was for her family.

A Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, December 11 from 2-3 PM at Union Church, 415 Westlake Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109 (enter at Kakao Coffee).

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations in Barbara's name to:

Camino Seguro, a school in the garbage dump in Guatemala City, to which Barbara made numerous visits: http://www.safepassage.org/donate/

Immanuel Community Services, a Seattle organization aiding the homeless, the recovering addict, and the hungry, to which Barbara worked in the food bank: http://www.icsseattle.org/donate.html