Barbara Kearney Williamson, 78, beloved wife of Wayne A. Williamson of Hayward, Wisconsin, died January 20th at home, succumbing to a fourth type of cancer after beating three others over 33 years.

Barbara was born May 8th, 1942, to Dorothy P. and Norman L. Kearney in Buffalo, New York. She attended Christ the King grade school there, and, after the death of her father in 1951, she moved to the St. Louis area with her family and attended St. Peter grade school in Kirkwood, Missouri, where she met her life-long friend and confidant Barbara Buettner.

Barbara graduated from Nerinx Hall high school in Webster Groves, Missouri, and earned a B.S. in mathematics from Webster College, which prepared her for a career in banking, in which she served in several Vice President capacities at First National Bank, Boatmen’s Bank, and Bank of America in Saint Louis, Missouri. Through several bank acquisitions, she converted the IT systems of the acquired bank to that of the purchasing bank and examined customer service data to inform marketing strategies. Barbara also earned an M.B.A. in finance from St. Louis University and a Master’s in banking from Rutgers University.

Barbara and Wayne’s love story began when they met downhill skiing in Colorado. They married at their home in Kirkwood in 1979. Their deep affection for one another was admired by all who knew them. Barbara and Wayne eventually retired to Hayward in 1997, and, in their retirement, they especially enjoyed their trips to their ancestral lands in Ireland and Norway, respectively.

Barbara was an active volunteer in Hayward, working on behalf of The Park Performing Arts Center, Northwoods Humane Society, First Lutheran Church, and Hayward Hospital. She also enjoyed gardening, her book clubs, and hiking and other activities with her Birkie Girl friends. She traveled regularly with another dear friend, Pat Peyton (aka “PP”), to research her family’s history at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City; and Barbara traveled each year with various types of cookie dough in her luggage to meet up with fellow Christmas “Cookie Monsters” (as Wayne called them) to bake cookies and rekindle friendships with former banking colleagues and bring home delightful treats for family and friends. Barbara will also be remembered for her keen wit, honest appraisals, and creative vocabulary.

Barbara especially cherished her 10 grandchildren, none of whom shared her genes. They fondly called her Baba, and, upon her death, each chose a word to describe her: smiley, loving, kind, warm, unstoppable, strong, patient, brave, intelligent, and generous.

Barbara is survived by her husband, Wayne; older brothers, Michael C. Kearney (Jo), Kirkwood, and Dr. John P. Kearney, Annville, Pennsylvania; daughters Lisa Williamson (Paul Schue), Ashland, Wisconsin, Sharon Stewart, Inola, Oklahoma, and Claire Balfour (Derek), Austin, Texas; grandchildren Matt Stewart, Jemama Stewart, Leo Schue, Mark Stewart, Avery Williamson, Princess Stewart, Elias Schue, Mckinzie Balfour, Sasha Williamson, and Georgia Balfour; and several nieces and nephews.

A private burial will be held Saturday, January 30th, at Greenwood Cemetery in Hayward. A larger public celebration of her life will be held later in the year.

Barbara, always a charitable person, supported many causes. Thus, gifts in Barbara’s memory may be made to First Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 346, Hayward WI 54843; Northwoods Humane Society P.O. Box 82, Hayward WI 54843; or The Park Performing Arts Center, P.O. Box 136, Hayward WI 54843.

Last Update: Jan 28, 2021 6:51 am CST