Barbara Lee Hunsinger, age 84 passed away on Saturday, September 9, 2023. Her family will host a visitation 1 pm to 2 pm Saturday, September 16th, 2023 at Heartland Funeral Home. Funeral Services will start at 2 pm Saturday, in the Heartland Funeral Home Chapel.
Barbara was born on August 31, 1939 in Clearfield, PA to Clair and Harriet Lippart. She graduated from Clearfield High School.
Barbara married John LeRoy Hunsinger on February 28, 1958 and they began a life together that spanned sixty-five beautiful years. After they married, they started a family in New Jersey, adding three children to their love story within five years. In 1967, the young family moved to Arizona where Barbara became the founding president of the Scottsdale Welcome Wagon, which provides opportunities for newcomers to make friends and get to know the community. After several job opportunities that led them to live in multiple states in the northeast, they settled in Florida when their fourth, and youngest, child was five, and lived there until 2004. In 2004, Barbara’s dream of owning a log cabin in the mountains of North Carolina became a reality. There, they created almost two decades of new memories as their children and grandchildren experienced the beauty and fresh mountain air. While in North Carolina, John and Barbara spent time following the Gaither Vocal Band, attending their Homecoming concerts. And of course, Barbara continued to host her legendary Christmases. Her meals were always an event and she loved Christmas, decorating her home extravagantly for the holidays, making delicious fudge, setting the table, and welcoming all.
Barbara took pride in being a homemaker, caring for her impeccable home and opening it to many people over the years, including foster children, church groups, extended family, and her children’s friends. She always had a warm meal (especially her signature pork loin and sauerkraut) ready for visitors.
Barbara was also an extraordinary seamstress. She sewed her first born daughter’s wedding dress, much of her two daughters’ fashionable wardrobes, stuffed Cecil the Sea Serpents for all, and many a special occasion dress for her granddaughters. For many years, she owned “Love Bug Creations,” a crafting business. A smart and capable woman, Barbara also earned her real estate license and her Early Childhood Education certificate, working in both the real estate and child-care industries for a time. As the Queen of Thrift, Barbara never met a bargain she didn’t love. She passed on the love of thrifting to her two daughters, daughter-in-law and grandchildren.
Barbara had a larger-than-life presence. She was a whir of kinetic, seemingly inexhaustible energy, driven by her faith in God. She loved the people in her life by doing for them, giving thoughtful gifts, and offering kind gestures. She is greatly missed by her family and the many friends she made along the way.
Barbara is survived by her husband John LeRoy Hunsinger of Brownwood, TX; 2 daughters, Adrienne Lynn Daniels and husband John of Hoboken, NJ and Alyssa Lee Graves and husband Jack of Brownwood, TX; 2 sons, John LeRoy Hunsinger II and wife Rhonda of Lexington, SC and Jeffrey C Hunsinger of New Smyrna Beach, FL; 2 sisters, Carole Meicke of Freehold, NJ and Sue Horner of State College, PA; 4 granddaughters, Alyssa Daniels of London, England, Catherine Hunsinger of Columbia, SC, Sarah Daniels of Seattle, WA and Hannah Graves of Brownwood, TX; 2 grandsons, Charles Graves of Greensboro, NC and Johnny Graves of Austin, TX. Barbara is also survived by numerous foster children, nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her father Clair Elvin Lippart; mother Harriet Marie (Morrison) Lippart; sister Pearl Bashore; 2 brothers, Clair E. Lippart, JR. “Junie” and Ronald Roy Lippart.
Online condolences, memories and tributes can be made to the family at www.heartlandfuneralhome.net
