Barbara Ann Kemner

QUINCY -- Barbara Ann Kemner, 80, died Sept. 8, 2017, at Blessing Hospital with her children at her bedside.

She was born 80 years ago in Davenport, Iowa, a daughter of Bernard Buckley and Antoinette Vonderharr; she was "daddy's girl." She was the love of Alex Kemner's life. They met during her summer visits to Quincy when she stayed on Cherry Street with her Aunt Margy and Uncle Dink, whom she loved dearly. Alex passed away six years ago, and she felt his absence every day.

She was the mother of Terri, Ken, Steve, Dan and Caren. She adored her children and wanted nothing more than to always be there for them.

She was a grandmother, overjoyed as each grandchild was born: Jason, Jenny, Kevin, Kristie, Jessica, Ryan, Evan, Justin, Jordan, Katelyn, Andrew and Anthony.

She was a great-grandmother to Emily, Kooper, Hannah, Marryn, Abigail, Lillian, Ethan, Charlston and twins Calvin and Noah. She cherished them, checking her iPad daily for pictures and videos.

Barb was known to be quite particular, compulsively tidy, anxious and strong willed. But she was also soft spoken in a loud family, the memorized phone number who always picked up and the one person who could make everything better. There's a little Barb in all of us that were hers, and that's a good thing.

She was the infamous unspoken, "I love you, too" that focused rather on showing you what it was to love and care for a family. She prayed (oh how she prayed!) for all of us.

She is the lazy Susan filled with candy, summers in the pool, the back and forth of a porch swing, the Danielle Steel novel; she is cookies and fudge, meat loaf and chicken noodle soup; she is the playing cards at Christmas and Thanksgiving, the laundromat, Sprouts, the housecoat and slippers.

She is survived by her children, Therese Kemner, Kenneth (Patricia) Kemner, Steven (Angela) Kemner, Daniel (Diane) Kemner and Caren Kemner; her grandchildren, Jason Patrick, Jennifer (Kevin) Arens, Kevin Patrick, Kristie (Payne) Kemner-Schoen, Jessica (Kurtis) McCabe, Ryan (Allison) Kemner, Justin (Anna) Kemner, Evan (Amber) Kemner, Jordan Kemner, Andrew and Anthony Kemner, Katelyn (Drew) Cancienne; and her great-grandchildren, Emily, Hannah and Ethan Arens, Abigail and Lillian Kemner, Kooper and Marryn McCabe, Charlston Schoen, Calvin and Noah Kemner. Numerous other relatives, including brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and cousins also survive.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her mother-in-law, Dorothy Zanger Kemner; her husband; her brother, William Buckley; and her sister-in-law, Dorothy Kemner Rodgers.

SERVICES: 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, at Duker and Haugh Funeral Home and 10 a.m. for a funeral Mass at St. Francis Solanus Catholic Church. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery.

VISITATION: 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 11, at the funeral home.

MEMORIALS: St. Francis School, "Alex and Barb's Wish."

ARRANGEMENTS: Duker and Haugh Funeral Home.

WEBSITE: dukerandhaugh.com.

Condolences may be expressed online at whig.com.