Barbara Curiel was born on November 30, 1954 in Bakersfield, California to Ray and Patricia Curiel.  Barbara died on November 20, 2020 having lived just shy of 66 years.  She spent almost her entire life proving people's assessment of her was wrong.  In grade school, the third grade, she suffered a terrible accident with major brain trauma.  She had to relearn everything she had learned up to that point in time including how to walk, how to talk, what words meant, and so on.  She proved she overcame that by graduating Summa cum Laude from Park University with a degree in Information Technology.  Later she added to that with a masters degree in Data Base Administration graduating Magna cum Laude.  And she had a stellar career working with Oracle Corporation as a renowned expert in data base administration and technology.

Barbara was told by her parents that she should not have children because she would be unable to care for them due to her disability.  She is survived by two adult sons, one of who's life she saved by throwing him out of a swimming pool and performing Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation.  That son went on to graduate from ASU with an Elecrical Engineer degree.  Both sons are accomplished musicians with the youngest playing guitar and composing.  And the oldest fronting two of the best rock and roll bands in Kansas City in the late 80's and 90's.

And her most amazing accomplishments were 1) during the drowning of her son speaking to an Angel who told her that her son would be fine; 2) spending a week in a bed and breakfast room in Ohio with a ghost woman and a ghost cat; and 3) Staying in a marriage to her surviving husband Brian Michael Waddoups for 47 years.  Both Mike and Barbara agreed, on more than one occasion, that there were 6 of those years they would like to live again.

God bless and keep you Barbara.

-submitted by Mike Waddoups