Barbara Schumacher

Barb Schumacher, beloved mother, wife, friend, and community member, died on January 15,
2023 after a brief struggle with end stage pulmonary fibrosis. She will be greatly missed by all
who knew her.
Born in Milwaukee Wisconsin to Charles and Esther Westwood, Barb’s early years were
enlivened by her nieces and nephews, who were close enough in age to be playmates, friends,
and adoring devotees. She attended Bay View High School in Milwaukee, and studied Physical
Education at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. A blind date set up by her college roommate
led her to meet Peter Schumacher, whom she married in 1959. Family life soon followed, as 4
daughters were born and a new house was built in Greenfield, Wisconsin.
Moving to Boulder with Pete and her family in 1972, Barb devoted herself to raising her 4
daughters, volunteering at their schools and supporting their extracurricular activities, attending
all their band and orchestra concerts, musical performances, dance recitals, and band
competitions. Enjoying life in Colorado to the fullest, Barb took up hiking, cross country skiing,
biking, and snowshoeing. For many years her family had to indulge her by hiking up Flagstaff on
Mother’s Day.
New friends in Colorado invited Barb to join a women’s bowling league at the Thunderbird
Bowling Lanes in Boulder, an activity she enjoyed for the rest of her life. After the Thunderbird
Lanes closed, the Thursday morning league continued at the Coal Creek Bowling Center in
Lafayette. Barb’s boundless enthusiasm for spending time with friends and her joy of
competition led her to join a women’s golf league at the Haystack golf course, where 9 holes of
golf were followed by games of dominos on the deck, games made more enjoyable by the 25-
cent wagers. Other lifelong passions included attending CU women’s basketball games, playing
Bunco monthly, and weekly Mah Jongg sessions. When Covid shut down the community centers
where Mah Jongg was played, Barb trained some of her golf and bowling buddies to play, and
they met at their own homes.
A love of travel and adventure led Barb and Pete to explore the world together, taking bike trips
to Vermont, Wisconsin, Missouri, and California, hiking trips to Ireland and National Parks in the
US and Canada, ocean cruises to Alaska, and riverboat cruises throughout Europe.
After Pete retired, Barb and Pete started taking watercolor classes together, studying with local
teachers, taking Elder Hostel and Road Scholar art classes in Pingree Park, CO, Ashville, NC, and
Abiquiu, NM. This passion led them to start an Art Guild at St Martins, meeting monthly with
fellow church members to create art and share techniques, and hosting an annual art show to
showcase their artwork. In addition to painting, Barb enjoyed creating walking sticks from
recycled Christmas trees. These hiking sticks, with their wood burned patterns and painted
designs were shown at the St Martin’s Art Show and the Boulder Potters’ Guild sales.
A dedicated parishioner of St Martin de Porres church in Boulder, Barb assisted as an
Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, worked with Pete to counsel countless couples in
Marriage Preparation classes, and served on the Social Concerns committee. As a member and
then chairman of this committee, Barb organized Giving Trees at Christmas, food drives, school
supply drives, the Baby Shower of Love drive, and coat drives. With Pete as willing assistant,
hundreds of pounds of food were delivered to the Harvest of Hope food pantry, gifts of clothing
to the Homeless Shelter, and diapers and children’s coats to Gabriel House. Barb was gratified
not only by her efforts in this work, but by the tremendous generosity of the parishioners of St
Martins.
Barb is survived by her husband of 63 years, Peter Schumacher, and her 4 daughters, Karen, Lisa,
MaryLynn and Kelly Schumacher.
A funeral mass will be held at St Martin de Porres Catholic Church, 3300 Table Mesa Dr, Boulder,
CO 80305 on Friday, January 27th at 11 am, rosary at 10:30 am. A reception in the church hall will
follow. Internment at the Sacred Heart of Mary cemetery will follow the reception, 6739 S
Boulder Rd, Boulder, Colorado, 80303.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Harvest of Hope Food Pantry, 4830 Pearl St,
Boulder, Colorado, 80301, www.hopepantry.org.