Eulogy to Barbara Brobst McCurley
Cortland, Ohio, October 13, 1990
On behalf of the families of Marcea and Kathy, I
would like to thank you for being with us today.
I'm Bill Brobst, nephew of Barbara Faith Brobst
McCurley. First a little history. Barbara was the
daughter of Martin Brobst and Ella Bensing, the
sixth of their 15 children. She was born in
Defiance County in northwestern Ohio in 1899. When
she was 10, the growing Brobst family settled on
the Brobst farm in Johnston Township on Route 5.
She has lived in the Cortland area ever since.
I'm sad but glad to be with all of you to tell
you what a remarkable person my aunt Barbara was
and how she will continue to be an inspiration to
me and her brother and sisters, nieces and
nephews, daughters, grand and great grandchildren
and her many friends. Her kindness, her
gentleness, her beliefs, her warm smile, her
marvelous laugh and her love of life will long be
remembered by all of us.
I feel half-qualified to offer these words of
praise because I knew my aunt Barbara for only
half her life. I was born when Barbara was about
46. I never knew her in the early years the way
her brothers and sisters did, as her students did
nor as many of you did as friends. But her
attitude toward everyone, which I'm sure her
mother and father taught her, was "do unto
others as you would have them do unto you."
My first memories of her were as she was driving
around in one of those big cars we rarely see
today. I didn't understand then how anyone so
little could handle one of those big Buicks,
cavernous Cadillacs or luxurious Lincolns she
drove. But now I realize she did not look upon
these cars as big. They were simply opportunities
for great social gatherings which she loved so
much.
For these cars transported her, her daughters,
her sisters and any others who wanted to come
along for the ride. And oh what a ride it was!
With jokes, songs, stories, giggling much laughter
and one or more sisters yelling--ever so
politely--to be heard. Trips throughout Trumbull
County, around the Buckeye State and all over this
big beautiful country that she never tired of
exploring. The ride could be to the Hartville flea
market near Ravenna or to Mexico. It didn't matter
where, because you knew you would have fun no
matter what the destination.
The next recollection of Barbara was at the
McCurley home in Mecca in the early 50's, where
the extended Brobst family-- remember Barbara had
14 sisters and brothers--would gather, invited by
Barbara, on New Year's Day to watch the Rose Bowl
parade in living color on one of those rare early
color TV sets. Of course, we would have a great
time seeing relatives--meeting some we didn't even
know we had--and eating delicious food. But color
TV was the marvel that Barbara and Carleton shared
with us.
Now that doesn't probably sound very rad or
awesome to today's generation, but those color
pictures were really neat--a highlight of the year
to me and many in that family who wouldn't have a
color TV for several years. And Barbara shared it
with all of us just as she did with so much else
in her life.
It's this kindness and generosity that was our
Barbara. And it included our Fourth of July
celebrations we all enjoyed at Lake Erie thanks to
Barbara. Each year Barbara and her family would
open their large cottage to those same 14 brothers
and sisters and their families and assorted
friends for a great time of swimming, food, fun
and most of all games.
Not your average run of the mill board games.
There were stars through a coat sleeve;
blindfolded dueling with rolled up newspapers;
what's under the blanket and many others all
affectionately run by Barbara and her sisters. And
those of you who know Barbara can see her joining
in the fun, but also consoling those eight and
nine year olds who were near tears and almost
drowned after looking up at the stars, or others
who were generally being embarrassed beyond their
wildest dreams.
Mixed in with all of this warmth was a physical
toughness--a true love of life--that was amazing,
especially in these recent few years. Despite her
small size, I compare my aunt Barbara to a huge
hard maple tree we had in our woods on Route 46
near the Howland cemetery.
Both the tree and Barbara cradled me in their
arms along the way. Barbara, like that maple, had
a constitution that wouldn't quit, and Barbara,
like that magnificent tree, offered a special
sustenance. The maple's was the clear liquid that
my brothers gathered each March and boiled down
into syrup and candy. Barbara offered nourishment
for the soul that was just as sweet. It was
kindness, generosity and caring that continues to
sustain us.
That big maple never died. In my mind it never
will. Barbara has not passed away. She is here
among us still. And the memories of how much she
cared for us, the countless things she lovingly
did for us, will stay with us--forever.
This page was last updated on: ,
Copyright© 1998-2013 by Kay Starr Schaney
|