Baerbel Marianne (Barbara) Ochs

Baerbel Marianne (Barbara) Ochs

Cedar Rapids

The light that shone from inside Baerbel Marianne (Barbara) Ochs flickered out without fanfare on October 10, 2024. Her sons were by her side and she was able to hear the music she loved one last time before saying farewell.

Barbara was born in Breslau, Germany on November 8, 1939, just two months after the invasion of Poland ignited WW II. When the madness of war began to envelope the city, Barbara’s mother, Helene Anna Klose, fled with her two daughters. By the time she finished her schooling, the family had relocated to Frankfurt. Barbara became fast friends with Lieselotte

(Lolo) Ochs, which inevitably brought her to the attention of Lolo’s older brother, Dieter. Dieter had plans to embark for the U.S., but vowed to come back for her. Then Uncle Sam greeted him with a draft notice and his ambitions had to wait. Upon his return to Germany after his discharge from the U.S. Army, the couple married in July 1962, and announced themselves as Mr. and Mrs. Hans Dieter Ochs, a union that endured for the next 56 years.

Two years after marrying, Joe and Babs, as they were known by family and friends, emigrated with their chubby toddler, Thomas, in tow and landed near Ravenna, Ohio, sponsored by Dieter’s brother Karl-Heinz. By 1966, they had relocated to Cedar Rapids, where they welcomed a second son, Robin, and made their permanent home.

Barbara was dedicated to raising her children and providing a warm, loving home. She was an amazing wife and mother. She made sure to fuel her kids’ curiosity and to teach them the value of respect for culture. And she never stopped being open to learning as much as she could from them.

Once Robin reached school age without incident, Barbara was able to turn her attentions to fostering her own interests. She launched a solo freelance photography business. She enrolled in classes with Madame Kouny in Fon du Lac, Wisconsin, and learned gourmet cooking. She became a U.S. citizen and gratefully participated in the 1980 general election. About this time, Barbara embarked on a career as a travel agent. Barbara had traveled extensively to that point, so her experience became a valuable source of guidance for her clients. She loved arranging leisure travelers looking for memorable adventures.

Barbara and Dieter were fortunate enough to be able to build their own home in 1994. Barbara enjoyed hosting dinners for friends, usually featuring exceptional fare. Naturally, their home was the center of family functions at birthdays and holidays, or even just a Sunday supper. Barbara proved to be a proud, doting grandmother and the grandchildren all will miss her terribly.

Barbara cherished all sorts of music and also had a passion for the outdoors—she summited Long’s Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park to mark her 60th birthday. She excelled at gardening, and created and tended her formidable French country garden proudly. She was fond of reading and did her level best to keep up with current events until just last week.

Barbara leaves behind treasured memories for Thomas and Robin, daughter-in-law, Bethann, and grandchildren Jackson, Sophia, Walker, and Kellen. She is also survived by her brother-in-law, Gerhard Fuhry of Augsburg, Germany; and sister-in-law, Joan Ochs of San Diego, and two nephews and a niece. Hopefully, she will soon reunite with those who went ahead of her, including Dieter, Lolo, Karl-Heinz, her mother, her sister, Beate, a favorite niece, Evelyn, and half a dozen beloved aunts.

Barbara loved to laugh. She did not want anyone to be sad on her account. Accordingly, there will be no immediate services and a Celebration of Life will be convened later this fall. The family extends heartfelt thanks to the caregivers at Cottage Grove Place who treated her with such kindness, and to Madison Lambert and her colleagues at St. Croix Hospice, professionals who were there to provide comfort when medical science had no more answers to offer. Those wishing to make a memorial donation in Barbara’s memory are requested to direct their gifts to the Cedar Rapids Symphony (Orchestra Iowa) or to the Cedar Rapids Public Library.

A more complete obituary may be found at www.iowacremation.com.