Barbara’s life began July 13, 1937, on her grandparent’s (Harry & Georgia Minshall) farm in Bangor, Michigan. She grew up in Watervliet with her parents, Merritt & June Knapp, and attended Watervliet Schools until she graduated in 1955.
While in high school, Barb played guard on the Lady Panthers varsity basketball team (which was their only girl’s sport team), was also a member of their State Champion choir, sextet & quartet where she sang alto, and was an honor roll student and was a 3-year member of the National Honor Society. She was proud to be a Panther.
Upon graduation she attended Benton Harbor Community College studying Secretarial Science. She went to work for Aircraft Components Inc., as an Executive Secretary for Senator Charles Zollar (co-owner of the company). Later on in her career there, she was sent to IBM to train and became the first female IBM System 34 computer operator in the entire area and was promoted to Computer Department Manager. While there, she met the love of her life, Walter Nord, and they married Nov. 3, 1962, and were blessed with 60 years married.
After leaving Aircraft Components, Barbara worked as the office manager for Dr. North Optical until retirement.
Barbara loved giving back to her community and was inducted into the Coloma Lioness Club in 1989. In her 30 years of service, she held many board positions and won several awards, which included Club President and Lioness of the Year more than once.
Her favorite activities and joy of her life were supporting her family in all their interests, gathering the family to play games, and traveling. Her love for travel was continuously fed chasing her grandsons all over the country while pursing their athletic dreams in wrestling and football. Barbara did find time to relax and then you could find her doing her word search puzzle while watching Fox News.
Family was everything to Barbara and she leaves behind a loving one to cherish her memory including: her daughter, Kristina (Courtney) Myers; grandsons CJ (Samantha) Myers, Connor (Kelsey) Myers, Christian Myers, Gregory (Lauren) Akre and Douglas (Kasey) Reitz; 16 great-grandchildren, Olivia, Madalein, Gracelyn, Harper, Amilia, Areli, Olyn, Aidlynn, Jaxon, Khloey, Toby, Connor, Beau, Jaylynn, Emmy, Daisy Isabell; and her two best friends, Debbie Friday and Valorie Martinic.
Barbara died Monday, June 17, 2024, at Corewell Health St. Joseph while holding her daughter’s hand. She is preceded in death by her loving husband Walter and her parents, Merritt and June (Minshall) Knapp.
Friends may visit with Barbara’s family Friday, June 28, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Hutchins Funeral Home in Watervliet. Funeral services will be celebrated Saturday, June 29, at 10 a.m. at Plymouth Congregational Church in Watervliet. Burial will follow in North Shore Memory Gardens. A luncheon will be provided directly after, back at Plymouth Congregational Church, by the family and the Ladies Pilgrim Auxiliary.
Memorials may be made in Barbara’s memory to Berrien County Cancer Services and the Berrien County Humane Society. You are invited to leave a message of comfort for Barbara’s family at hutchinsfuneral.com.