Barbara Zurawski

Barbara Zurawski of Jackson California passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 30, 2019 at the age of 87. Barbara was born in Rotherham in Yorkshire, England to Eleanor (Cliff) and Samuel Glenn. She was the second of the four Glenn children. Barbara was born above her father's butcher shop where the Glenn family resided and where, as a young girl, she and big brother Peter helped their father by making the sausages in the cellar of the shop. Her father often remarked to his customers when Barbara entered the shop "Look it's our Barbara come to help me - she's a grand lass". Indeed. Barbara attended St. Mary's Primary School in Rotherham, Notre Dame High School for Young Ladies in Sheffield and then college in Rotherham where she studied Fine Arts. After college Barbara moved to London where she applied her knowledge developing costume and scenery design skills at the Old Vic Theatre. Later, at the age of thirty five, she returned to the U.K. to study at the London School of Occupational Therapy which led her to her life's work and passion. Barbara worked for thirty years as a ‘Pediatric Occupational Therapist' impacting and enriching the lives of countless children and their families. In her early twenties Barbara married her childhood sweetheart, Barry V. Smith, and gave birth to a son, Daniel, who sadly died of Spina Bifida at the tender age of three weeks, and then a daughter, Philippa, who was born in Stamford. In 1960 Barbara and young Pippa followed Barry to the U.S. and sailed into the New York Harbor aboard the QEII. Barbara's marriage to Barry ended but Barbara and Pippa made a wonderful life for themselves living mostly in New Jersey after brief stints in California and in the U.K. Barbara worked at Morristown Memorial Hospital in New Jersey for ten years then successfully in private practice for another twenty years. Pippa was inspired by her mother and was always encouraged by her to follow her own dreams. As a mother Barbara was attentive, she worked hard and studied hard to provide a great life for the two of them and though expensive made sure Pippa went to the very best schools. Barbara emphasized the need for balance between work and play, traveled often with Pippa across the Atlantic to stay in touch with family and friends, visited places like New York City and Cape Cod where they camped, sketched, fished and painted together. Barbara instilled an appreciation of nature in young Pippa. Pippa fondly remembers painting the walls of their various homes "Orange! It was always the color orange!" and remembers feeling like a ‘cool kid' driving around with her mom in her orange Camaro. In 1977 Barbara married the true love of her life, Jan E. Zurawski, and the two remained married until Jan's death in 2015. Outside of work, which gave her great satisfaction, Barbara enjoyed many other things in life including painting, particularly seascapes of the Jersey shore where she and Jan lived, sailed and entertained family and friends. Barbara was known for her flare and flash of color both in her dress and her vibrant personality. She was clever, artistic, adventurous, loved to travel, was a night owl, a connoisseur of sweets with a well-developed sweet tooth and, according to her then teenage brother's friends, was "dishy". Barbara is survived by her daughter Pippa and her wife, Jeannine James, of CA, stepdaughter Xenia Zurawski of the U.K. and stepdaughter Kira and her husband, Mike Nicholls, of the U.K., brother Peter and his wife, Maria Glenn, of the U.K., sister Josie and her late husband, Harry Boyd, of CA, brother Barrie and his wife, Annette Glenn, of the U.K. as well as numerous nieces and nephews, great nieces and great nephews, and great great nieces and great great nephews. She is also survived by dear friends A. Kimberlin Blackburn and her husband, Jimmy Nishida, of HI and John and Ursula Chrobok of NJ. Barbara is preceded in death by her son, Daniel, and her husband, Jan Zurawski. A private family service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to: Jackson Gardens Elder Care Community, 185 Placer Drive, Jackson CA 95642. "Your memory is my keepsake, with which we'll never part. God has you in His keeping, I have you in my heart." - B. Dodd