Barbara Rawls has so gone through so many chapters in her life. She was kind enough to tell us about all of them.
Barbara was born in Denver, then lived in New England, Montana, Detroit, Chicago, and Iowa. Her father was in the military so they traveled a lot. Her favorite memory from growing up was when her family lived on a ranch in Billings, Montana for three years. There was no running water, no heat, no indoor plumbing, and you grew everything you ate. It was a simpler time and she loved it.
She finished high school in Iowa where she met her husband John Thomson. They had three children together, John Scott, Barbara Jean, and Robin Jean. They were married for 15 years before he passed away from bone cancer. She later met and married Louis Rawls. Together they had a daughter, Brie Jubilee. They were married for 10 years before he passed away from lymphoma. Barbara spent most of her time at home raising her children, but intermittently she also was a cosmetic saleslady, a leasing manager for an apartment complex, an interior designer, and an architect’s private secretary.
After her children were grown she went to college to become a nurse. She helped deliver babies for 16 years, until she retired in 2003. While working, she met Jerome Kruse. She says he chased her for three years before she finally gave in and married him. They were married for four years before he passed away from a coma. She later met and married John Emerson Motto. They were married for 15 years before he passed away from agent orange side effects. Throughout her four marriages she learned that when one door closes, another opens. She loved each man dearly and in completely different ways.
Barbara joined the Harmony family over two years ago at Harmony at Five Forks. Her youngest daughter, Brie, lives in Simpsonville, so she is able to visit often. She has five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She enjoys horseback riding, oil painting, reading, and going to church. She is proud that she was able to handle everything life threw at her, and that she is watching her beautiful and smart children do the same.
Some fun facts about Barbara include: she has her pilot’s license; she is a healer empath; she was given the key to the city of New Orleans; and her favorite book is the dictionary. Her best piece of advice is to “never give up on your life- there’s a lot of good even in the bad.”
Wonderful residents like Barbara make Harmony Senior Services the best place to live!