Barbara Wright Tributes
This is a compilation of email messages that were
sent from team members and friends following Barbara's passing.
Kelly
Wright -
As many
of you
may
already
know my
mother
passed
on
Wednesday,
March
21st the
first
day of
Spring.
She was
brave
and
fought a
long
hard
battle.
She is
now at
peace,
she is
now with
my dad.
I wanted
to let
all of
you know
we will
be
holding
a
memorial
service
on
Sunday,
April
22, at
4:30p.m.
at
Orange
Coast
College
in the
new
athletic
facility.
I will
keep you
updated
but I
would
also
like to
set up a
scholarship
fund in
her
honor
for
those
who
would
like to
donate.
.................................................
Emmett
Rahl -
Every
once in
a while
I got to
walk/jog
with
Barbara
at the
track,
mostly
when I
was
recovering
from a
marathon.
I
occasionally
asked
her
advice
about
doing
triathlons,
as I
knew she
taught a
class at
OCC (or
another
local
college).
She was
always
exciting
to
talk to,
even in
last
months
when she
her
health
wasn't
the
greatest.
She will
be
missed.
...............................................
Gallena
Quinalty
-
It is a
sad day
to hear
about
Barbara's
passing.
I'll
always
remember
her
courageous
fight
against
her
illness, she
fought
like a
true
champion
until
the
very
end.
Perhaps
we can
find
some
solace
to know
that
she and
George
are once
again
reunited
in
heaven.
.........................................
Michael
Hayden -
Thank
you for
the
posting
on
Barbara!
I never
met
her
before
but the
way you
were
describing
she seem
like a
really
nice
person.
........................................
Alice
DeLeon -
"Only
one
life
that
soon
is
past,
only
what's
done
with
love
will
last".
Barbara
did so
much
to
earn
the
love
of so
many.
Her
attitude
was
always
cheerful
and
bright,
even
when
enduring
the
treatments
for
brain
tumors.
I'll
never
forget
that
she
was
planning
to
hike
Kilamanjaro
and
was so
excited
about
it.
Unfortunately
that
never
came
to
pass.
The
good
thing
about
this
is
that
if
there
is a
Heaven,
then
Barb
and
George
are
now
together
again
........................................
Jim and Kathy Eimen -
Jim and I were very saddened when we read of Barbara's passing; she fought a brave and courageous battle.
We got to know Barbara (and George through Barbara) better over the past several years when Jim and I started running with Barbara. During those runs, Barbara would tell us stories about her family -- her early years with George, her children and her latest running endeavors. During one of our last runs with Barbara at Signal Hill she shared her stories about her daughter's upcoming wedding. Also during another run during that same summer, we talked about George's ambition to do another Ironman in Hawaii and his plan to get there. We remember Barbara talking about training for a 1/2 Marathon so she could run the same race that George was using to qualify for the Ironman.
This is a very sad time for TRH; one of our family has left us. But there is solace in knowing that Barbara is again with George.
........................................
Isadora Johnson -
Barbara was my competitive friend for over 30 years, in so many races, triathlons, marathons, etc. and once she got on the bike with that bright smile, it was good-by for me because she was so strong at cycling and so many sports! Barbara was very close to my age ,so, saying good-by to her is more than just terribly Sad ,but, a Timely Reminder that life is so fragile and that if A Superwoman such as Barbara can die so young ,then, we are all so vulnerable. From my perspective, we really Don't Die, but, rather live on through all our energies, and meaningful exchanges with those whose lives were somehow touched through that experience. Barbara & George were such an so exceptional couple that their Bright Light and Spirit will never die for those who had the pleasure to know them and to love them. Our hearts are with them in the big Marathon in the sky.
...................................
Judith Fischer -
Kudos to Amy Fillipow for her eloquent and heartfelt
tribute, both in words and video, to Barbara at the
memorial service. Amy is getting to be such a
pro putting together these memorial events, but I
hope she doesn't have to prepare another for a long,
long time.
.......................................................
Alison Smith -
As
Barbara’s former O.C.C. gymnastics Manager; I really
got to know Barbara very well. She was one of the
best coaches at O.C.C., her technique of coaching
was like no other. She very rarely “yelled” at the
girls. She was very calm and to the point and the
girls on the teams found her a hard task master but
without the ridicule. If they found a task difficult
to master; Barbara had the gift of “Patience”. She
would work with the girls on the task until they
felt comfortable doing it.
As her
Manager, I found her extremely easy to work with;
she was always very upbeat at practices and at
meets. If we were getting behind in points, she
would gather the team and explain to the girls that
if they each believed that they could do their tasks
more for themselves as an individual; the results
would be higher. Her philosophy was that you “must
do the best job for yourself (meaning: Your focus,
your drive, your motivation, and putting your whole
heart into the job at hand; the results will
follow). “ While I was Manager, our team became the
South Coast Community College Champions.
Barbara’s love of skiing was so contagious that she
manage to get O.C.C. to take the backside of the
football bleachers and make a “learn –to-ski” hill,
and got the school to place outdoor carpeting on the
hill; purchase skis, boots, poles and many students
including myself gained better technique to apply to
real skiing. Barbara and her family got me so
hooked, that I went on three Canadian ski trips.
Between Barbara, George, and their children Kelly
and Mike; my skiing progressed to a
mid-intermediate. On one of these trips, Kelly and
Mike asked their parents if they could go on a
certain run known as a ski-out. It was probably
close to two or three miles in length. Barbara and
George said yes, but they had to take one of us
college students, since they liked me and knew me
pretty well from babysitting them, they asked me to
go with them. Knowing that these two have skied
before even being born (Barbara was known to ski
while pregnant), and taught both kids to ski at
early ages with help from George. I knew that this
was going to be a big workout for me. Mike and Kelly
guided me like two professional ski Instructors,
they had the exact gift that both Barbara and George
brought them up with, the love of skiing, the
patience, the motivation to overcome obstacles
(areas that look like no person with ski’s should
cross). They got me down that long, long ski run
with only two or three falls.
The
world has lost two wonderful individuals; who though
their gifts have given so much to the rest of us.
They will be missed and never forgotten.
To
Kelly and Mike; if you should read this, my heart
goes out to the two of you. I’m just thrilled that I
got to know your parents and the two of you
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