Obituary: Barbara A. Anderson

Barbara Ann Anderson, 86, passed away peacefully on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019. She was born Barbara Ann Curington on Nov. 21, 1932, in Bushnell, Florida, to Dennis and Nora Curington.

She was the first born of three children; her siblings are Floyd Curington, Merritt Island, Florida; and Virginia “Ginger” Sapp (deceased).

Barbara was married to Robert D. “Bob” Anderson on Jan. 11, 1951, and celebrated almost 68 years of a strong and loving life together. This beautiful family grew to include four children: Carol Gray and husband Morgan (deceased) of Orlando, Florida; Kay Roseman and husband David of Cottondale, Florida; Paula Ravetto and husband David of Ocoee, Florida; and Rick Anderson and wife Belinda of Middleburg, Florida. She was a beloved grandmother to her grandchildren, Lena Combs, Valerie Wilson, Joshua Gray, Matthew Roseman, Dominick Ravetto and Taylor Anderson; as well as her great-grandchildren, Airen Combs, Kelsey Blanton, Morgan Combs and Charlotte Gray.

Barbara graduated from Ocala High School then raised four children and worked for more than 20 years with Florida Telephone (which became Sprint) in Winter Garden and Apopka in the Public Relations department in a secretarial capacity.

Throughout their life together, Bob and Barbara explored 48 states and Canada in their motorhome and also traveled to Hawaii and Alaska. Their love of travel took them to various countries in Europe as well, and after retirement they served in several volunteer campground host positions in North Carolina and Montana.

In addition to travel, Barbara loved reading, music, square dancing, movies, volunteerism, time with family and friends, and adventure.  Her adventurous and fun-loving spirit led her to doing things like riding roller coasters with her grandchildren, hot-air ballooning, glider-plane riding, snorkeling, tubing, cruising and skiing, among many others.

Barbara and Bob became a part of the Waterman Village family in 2014 and enjoyed making new friends and having new adventures. Barbara was a true Southern lady with only kind and loving words to everyone. She will be dearly missed by all those who knew her. 

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 7, at the Chapel at Waterman Village, 445 Waterman Avenue, Mount Dora, Florida. In lieu of flowers, memorial offerings can be made to Hospice of the Comforter.

The Allen J. Harden Funeral Home, 1800 N. Donnelly St., Mount Dora, Florida, has been entrusted with arrangements.