Barbara A. John was born in Colon, Republic of Panama to a recently widowed mother of 7 who asked her younger sister and her husband to adopt and care for her.  She learned to love and respect the Creator early.  After graduating high school, she attended St. Luke’s Episcopal School of Nursing in Ponce, Puerto Rico and graduated 3 years later as a Registered Nurse (RN) with her Diploma of Nursing degree.  She subsequently returned to Panama, worked at Gorgas Hospital on the Canal Zone for a year, and then (encouraged by her father) successfully secured employment at Mount Sinai Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.

Within 2 weeks of arriving in Cleveland, Ohio, she met her future husband, Patrick C. John (a recent U.S. Airforce veteran also from Rep. of Panama) at a dinner party.  They were introduced by a mutual family friend (Pearline Berry) who was acquainted with their parents’ social circle back home.  After a 1-year courtship, they married.  Three years later, they had a daughter, Kila B. John, during Patrick’s first year of graduate school.  They have no other children.

After 2 years of working at Suburban Hospital, Barbara transferred to the V.A. Medical Center from which she retired after over 35 years of service as a psychiatric nurse.  Barbara and Patrick worked separately for the same hospital system for most of their lives and retired the same day.  They credited our Creator (the “glue”) and implementation of their education (the “tools”) as the 2 forces that strengthened their marriage.  They radiated mutual love, respect, empathy for and tenderness toward each other.  They were only married once and only to each other.  They were best friends and truly enjoyed each other’s company.  They also utilized these skillsets in parenting, emphasizing full investigation of the whole truth followed by strategic assessment when teaching life lessons.  Consequences were fully disclosed ahead of associated choices.  Operating out of fear and self-deception were not viable options.  However, they enveloped their daughter with love, respect, empathy, tenderness, and they cultivated her self-esteem and confidence.

Barbara sang beautifully and often harmonized duets with Patrick.  They also loved to dance together.  In addition, she was a musician and an artist as evidenced by her nail artistry, which she refined as a licensed manicurist (encouraged by Patrick her nurtured her creative pursuits).  Moreover, she was an avid gardener who enjoyed nature, using exercise and non-GMO whole foods as medicine.  Furthermore, enjoyed baking and cooking spicy foods the way our Creator intended (the hotter the better).

On 10 September 2026, she accepted our Creator’s invitation home for a hard-earned and long-deserved rest.

She is preceded into the arms of our Creator by her husband (Patrick C. John); her parents (Alfred and Louise (birth parents); adoptive parents (Rita and Kenneth); her bonus moms through Kenneth (Irene Dionysius and Terrilyene); her aunt Zephlyn; her uncle (Claude); her siblings (Michael, Samuel (Wilfredo Sr.), Elvin, and Teresa); and her nephew (Daniel).  She is survived by her daughter (Kila), and an entire community of cousins, nieces, and nephews (who are more like siblings), their children, and their children’s’ children.

Rest well good and faithful servant.  You’ve more than earned it.