| Graduation Year | Class of 1977 |
| Date of Passing | Sep 16, 2017 |
| About | Barbara A. Boston Shultz, 57, died Saturday, September 16, 2017 from causes secondary to thyroid disease at St. Francis Hospital in Topeka, KS. She was born January 7th, 1960 in El Paso, TX and raised as an Army Brat, living in several different states and in Germany. She graduated high school at the age of 17. Deciding college was not her path, she accepted her first full time job as a legal secretary to pay for a Camaro. Barb worked at law firms and Washburn Law School most of her adult life. She believed whole-heartedly in Proverbs 28:5 – "Evil men don’t understand the importance of justice, but those who follow the Lord are much concerned about it." Barb volunteered her time to the Topeka community through many different organizations over the years. In more recent years, Barb enjoyed making cards for people who were important to her, for their special occasions. If you still have a card, keep it. I do not have time right now to continue this tradition. Maybe some day. :) She also hand wrote letters to military members serving in other countries, then sent her letters with the Sunday funnies to Operation Gratitude. She became a friend of Bill W. on April 12th, 1991 (26 years). Survivors include her mom, Rosemary (Meinhardt) Boston, a sister Janice Boston and brother in law Eldon Gay, a daughter Teri (Shultz) and son in law Shawn O'Trimble, 4 grandchildren- Shawn II, Zara, Luke, and Leia O'Trimble, (Luke & Leia are 8 month old twins) an ex-husband Ron Shultz, and many other family members and life-long friends too numerous to count. She was preceded in death by her Dad, Robert "Bob" Boston in 2009, her cat, and her grandcat. Barb was cremated and will be buried in her parent’s plot in Paxico, KS. The burial will be a private ceremony. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Topeka, Helping Hands Humane Society, or the Topeka Rescue Mission, preferably by volunteering your time instead of your money. Someone needs to take over writing letters to a hero through Operation Gratitude and sending the Sunday funnies. Barb’s most favorite poem was “Success” by Ralph Waldo Emerson. My mom requests you find it and read it. Also among her favorites quotes and sayings- “A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in or the kind of car I drove. But the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.” Some of her favorite one liners were “Lessons will be repeated until learned.” From Abe Lincoln: “It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues.” On her refrigerator, from Emerson as well, “All that I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator all I have not seen.” She often quoted Dr. Karl Menninger. “Love cures people, the ones who receive love and the ones that give it too.” On the inside of her door at adult eye-level is “Go With God.” Her favorite meal time prayer she learned from a friend said this: “Bless this food to our use and us to your service.” But she thoroughly enjoyed her granddaughter’s version: “Dear Jesus, thank you for my yummies.” We taught that to Zara as a short and easy way to say grace before a meal. On her desk at home “When I stand before God at the end of my life I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say I used everything you gave me." A quote from Erma Bombeck. On a plaque in her bathroom next to the mirror, a statement, “When God made you he was just showing off.” Both were received from a most precious friend. She generally said her prayers at night so she could sleep well, thanking God for blessing her that day, asking him to bless everyone she knew and loved, their families and their pets, to bless all of our men and women in uniform, their families and their pets, to bless our leaders with wisdom to make decisions appropriate for all of us instead of just themselves and those with money, and their families and their pets, to bless everyone she didn’t know, and their families and their pets. She ended with "In Jesus name, Amen." Barb loved pet sitting for family and friends because she could no longer have pets of her own at her condo. Favorite photos were found all over her apartment and she had too many photo albums to count and no less than four of them were filled with even more favorite photos. I went through and the albums filled up the back of my van. Barb died knowing she was loved and was loving, and she believed there was no greater feeling than that knowledge generated during her time on earth. She requests we all water the roses, stop our busyness in our lives long enough to smell them and teach children to love one another, by example. She believed in words and actions and that family is more important than any job, because family is for life and some family members are chosen. That’s what my mom has written. Hopefully it helped paint a picture of how she saw herself. I find completely truthful. My mother is a great example of someone taking charge of an illness they suffer. I do want to say briefly that her thyroid disease, which she treated with the help of doctors, was ultimately controlled by her, and taking too much of an non-prescription medication caused her heart to work too hard. Eventually her heart grew to weak to beat. I offer you a warning: even if you think you are in complete control of your body or mind, please seek out professional help if you have a problem. My mom taught me that. If you are in need of assistance of any kind, ask. Don’t try to do anything alone and illnesses are hard. My mom was my biggest advocate while we were stabilizing my mental illness as a teenager. She taught me to not just “go with the flow” and seek out different opinions and methods, and to educate myself. I feel that my mom has said everything that she has to say to me, taught me everything she needed to teach me, and loved me enough to last me my whole life. She did everything she possibly could for me and then some. She taught me that Jesus died for my sins, all my life, even though I didn’t really get it until I was older. The foundation of my faith was shown to me by her. My mother taught me to be accepting of all people, even if I didn’t agree with them, and to not judge anyone and now I am able to help numerous people on a daily basis through ministry. Thanks mom. God is good all the time. She told me one time that she wished she had my ability to let go and let god with such ease but she was solid in her faith. There is no doubt where her soul resides. Love wins! We will see her again in the blink of an eye, and she resides inside each one of our hearts. I ask you today to say everything, teach everything, love enough to last forever, do everything, accept everyone, don’t judge, do all the good you possibly can, and let go and let God. May God grant you grace and peace and comfort. Thank you to Prince of Peace, Pastor Buono, and everyone who helped me get the memorial service organized. I am one lucky and blessed lady. Would you please say the Serenity prayer with me: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen. In the words of Barb, “You are loved.” -Teri O'Trimble, September 19, 2017 |
