Barbara E. Gower

Gower, Barbara Ellen Fisch,
The Great Creator called Barbara Ellen home on Tuesday, November 21, 2023 at the age of 99-1/2 years.

With her departure, we celebrate Profound Joy that Barbara is reunited with her loved ones that have been anticipating her return home. Daughter Barbara Jon, husband Jack, mommy & daddy Eleanor and Herbert, siblings Herbie & Kelly, Eddie & Dee, Patty & John, Neenie & Jim, grandparents Mathias & Mary Elizabeth & many other friends & relatives.

We celebrate Profound Gratitude for a life lived to its fullest. Born in Austin, MN on May 6, 1924 into a family home filled with deep love, laughter, caring, storytelling, music, dancing, friends, & fellowship for all. At a young age, Barbara was sent to weekly painting and piano lessons & each of her siblings danced, sang or played a musical instrument while strengthening their family ties. Upon completing high school in 1942, Barbara continued her education by studying radiological technology at Edgewater Hospital in Chicago under Dr. Louis Riggleman and then on to the University of Minnesota for a year to complete her training. While in Minneapolis, she made contact with the nuclear site in Oak Ridge TN. She was asked if she would like to apply for the position of running the x-ray lab at Los Alamos under the jurisdiction of the Manhattan project. She immediately accepted and travelled by train to Santa Fe and then on to Los Alamos where she began an exciting and romantic time during World War II. Major General Leslie Groves made an appearance to present her team with the Army/Navy E Award for Excellence. She worked very hard at the lab but found time for many light-hearted hours after work. She bought her first horse and rode the nearby New Mexico mountains. After the war, she departed Los Alamos to marry Jack, her high school sweetheart at St. Bartholomew church in Long Beach, CA. She returned to MN to live with her parents for 18 months while Jack began his forestry studies at Iowa State University. She then joined Jack in Ames, Iowa with their first-born, Barbara Jon. Jack graduated in 1950 and then headed to Bend, Oregon with Barbara Jon and second baby Martha Ellen. From there, Jack was promoted from working at the Hines Lumber Mill and transferred to Green Bay for a new lumber sales position. They added son John Dewey and daughter Lisbeth Dauwen to their little clan. Each child was a unique and special gift to Barbara, filled her life with love & paved the way for her most exceptional life role & purpose as mother. Moving to Dayton in 1957, she excelled in her musical abilities, became an accomplished & artful, self-taught seamstress as she built a powerful loving home & family life. She later attended classes at the University of Dayton. As she received grandchildren, great-grandchildren and her first great, great grandchild, she cemented her legacy & higher purpose in life as mother.

Now departed from life, she leaves family & friends to work & grow through the profound grief that the end of life delivers. Survived by baby sister Marijo (Jim), children Martha (Ted), John, Libby, grandchildren Emily (Paul), Douglas (Mindy), Eleanor, Christopher, great-grandchildren Cassaundra, Claudia, Chloe, Walter, Maximus, Tristan, great, great-grandson Dominic James, nephews, nieces, in-laws, out-laws & many loving friends.
Barbara would remind us to live each day as it is our last, love and care as much as possible for those who are close, celebrate daily moments, always practice forgiveness, make a difference in your community & the lives of others, be a role model and treat and respect all in the manner that you would want to be treated & respected.

Family will receive friends at Westbrock Funeral Home at 1712 Wayne Avenue on Monday, 11.27.23 from 4 PM to 8 PM to celebrate & cherish the life, legacy & spirit of Barbara Ellen. Burial services will be private and held later at historic Woodland Cemetery.