Obituary of Barbara Deanne Lemmer

Barbara Deanne Lemmer, beloved wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, and friend, passed away unexpectedly on January 30, 2025. Born in Glen Ridge, NJ, to Burton Thomas II and Irene Bush, she was the second of four children. At 16, her family moved to Australia, where she later earned a BA in Liberal Arts from the University of Sydney before returning to the U.S. Barbara led an extraordinary life, living in New Jersey, Michigan, Australia, and California, where she called Santa Cruz Gardens home for 43 years. A gifted linguist and musician, she had a thriving career, working at the Nature Conservancy and later as a Contract Negotiator at EPRI in Palo Alto. She met her husband, Tom, in 1978, and together they built a loving life, raising their daughter Katherine. Barbara also worked as Medical Staff Coordinator at Dominican Hospital and later as an Executive Assistant at Bay Federal until her retirement in 2009. She and Tom continued serving the community through in-home podiatry care. Barbara loved flying with Tom, music, reading, gardening, and time with her daughter. Deeply devoted to her faith, she participated in a missionary trip to Bolivia and volunteered for years at Santa Cruz Bible Church. She will be remembered for her kindness, generosity, and unwavering love. Barbara is survived by her husband of nearly 45 years, Tom; daughter Katherine Lemmer-Pollard (Ryan); stepchildren Andrew T. Lemmer and Cynthia M. Grant; grandchildren Zachary Lemmer (Abigail), Benjamin Lemmer, Michael P. Smith, Brittany Hagopian, Alexsa and Emily Grant; great-grandchildren Vivian Maxine Lemmer and Connor James Hagopian; cherished sisters Lynne Ruicens (Aris) and Janice Solomon (Mick); nieces and nephews Tamara Ruicens (Jim Flanagan), Barbara Ruicens (Nick Wilsher), and Thomas Sutherland (Kym); grand-nephews and niece Aidan and Peter Flanagan and Benjamin and Gemma Wilsher. She is also survived by sister-in-law Karen Lemmer-Way (John), nieces Shelly Solis (Quentin) and Staci Lajiness, grand-nephew Tyler Lajiness, and grand-niece and nephew Violet and Miles Solis. She was predeceased by her eldest stepdaughter, Jodie Marie Lemmer, nephew Kenneth Sutherland, and brother Burton Thomas Bush III. A celebration of Barbara’s life will be held on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at 6:30 PM at Santa Cruz Bible Church, 440 Frederick St, Santa Cruz, CA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Nature Conservancy or the Santa Cruz Bible Church Food Pantry.