Southerner turned Yankee. Registered nurse and bus driver. World traveler. Bibliophile and cinephile. Lover of cooking, camping, and crafts. Always wanting to learn and experience new things. Reverent Christian. Wife, mother, sister, daughter, aunt, and cousin. Second mother and grandmother and great friend to many. A caring, passionate advocate, sometimes outgoing and sometimes reserved, unpretentious and sincere, kind, loving, and selfless individual.

She was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi on December 10, 1943 before settling in Michigan during her teenage years. Her mother and father—Annie Mae Hayward and Jessie Biggert— as well as her siblings—Joe, James, and Jackie—moved around the country with their father’s work, but the family’s sojourn ended in Michigan. After graduating from East Detroit High School, she traveled the country working as a hiring manager for, of all things, a traveling circus. She towed her small trailer throughout the states and witnessed many different sights and encountered new people and ways of life— a calling she would appreciate doing for the rest of her life.

Subsequent jobs took her to other locales including her time living near Washington, D.C. It was there that a friend convinced her to continue school and become an RN. She did just that after returning to Michigan and obtaining her Associate Degree in Nursing from Mott Community College in Flint. Her caring and selfless personality was utilized for the many patients she tended to over the years.

In the middle of this period of her life, she began dating a local electrician, Douglas Calhoun. Their first date was a dinner and a movie: Hopscotch, featuring Walter Matthau and Glenda Jackson. They fell in love and were married at their home on January 24, 1981. They would remain married for the next 38 years and see and experience the world together.

They lived in Flint Township for all those years and in 1985 added another member to their family, William. Barb played an incredibly active part in his life. She was close to many of his friends and was always involved in activities like Randels Elementary PTA and his time in Scouts, the school’s band, and college. She became his biggest advocate.

Also in the 1980s, Barb became a member of what is now United in Christ Lutheran Church in Flint Township. She was a reverent Christian and an active member of the congregation. Despite her human failings, she saw her faith to mean striving to be as Christlike as possible. She was welcoming of diverse types of people and appreciated the differences as much as the commonalities. She endeavored to learn and experience new cultures, to show kindness to others, to remain humble, and to be selfless. She gained countless friendships and positively impacted the lives of many by living this way.

Barb, Doug, and Will made their house on Ramsgate Road a home for over 30 years. She emphasized and valued her time with family, whether it be visits to nearby or far away relatives, annual family reunions, holidays, or mealtime with her husband and son. Michigan was their home, yet they also thoroughly enjoyed traveling the world. She relished exploring new places and understanding new customs, and truly savored the incredible scenes the world offered. Barb set foot in South America, Europe, Asia, Australia as well as every state in the union. Family from as far away as Alaska, Texas, California, and Florida ensured frequent cross-country trips, and three Brazilian exchange-student sons—Mauricio, Eduardo, and Edu—also meant four trips to visit them in their home country.

Frequently found with a book in hand and always willing to enjoy a new movie, Barb enjoyed trying new hobbies or jobs as well. She took the time to learn ceramics, woodworking, scrapbooking, and cardmaking as well as employment with Pampered Chef and Mary Kay. Prior to retirement though, she wanted to further support the Carman-Ainsworth school district and became a bus driver. She loved helping out the kids on her bus routes until she retired in 2004.

In her retirement, she and Doug traveled the world even more and eventually chose to spend their winters at Oleander Acres RV park in Mission, Texas—just a mile from the Mexican border. They and their dogs spent ten winters there. In what became her last winter in Texas, she was taken to San Antonio for care, and on March 20, 2019 while surrounded by family and love, she passed away from heart failure—perhaps as a result of years of her caring and bighearted nature.

During her time in this world, she made innumerable connections and loving relationships. She was loved for the meaningful kinships she fostered as an aunt to many nieces and nephews, an in-law, a close or distant cousin, a second mother or grandmother, a friend who became family, a dear sister, and the best wife and mother. She left the world a far better place because of her life well spent, and she will be sorely missed. Thankfully the memories and values she gifted will joyfully persist for years to come, and we will all smile.