Barbara Hardy Tatman

3/16/1940 – 1/31/2015

Barbara Nell Hardy was born in Flora, Illinois, to Herman and Marion Hardy in the spring of 1940. She spent her childhood in Flora, growing up alongside her sister Helen. She was quite a tomboy, often spending hours outside playing softball with neighborhood kids. She spent a lot of time with her father who lovingly called her “Bobbie.” She and her family were very active in First Christian Church of Flora. Barbara enjoyed school, especially her English and business classes, and she worked on the high school annual, The Harstan. Throughout her childhood, Barbara played the piano and enjoyed cheerleading, as well as lifeguarding during the summers. She met the love of her life, David Tatman, in first grade. On their first date in third grade, they went to a cowboy movie together and enjoyed popcorn in the balcony. They attended many school dances together, and ultimately became serious while both were attending the University of Illinois. Barbara and David were engaged on December 24, 1960 and married on September 9, 1961.

While attending U of I, Barbara worked for the engineering department. With her top security clearance, she typed theses and confidential manuscripts. She had her first son, Paul, in Champaign, Illinois in 1962, on her first wedding anniversary. After David’s graduation from U of I, Barbara and David moved to Ohio for David’s continuing education at graduate school in 1962. It was his first assignment for the US Air Force. David’s work required many moves and assignments. While stationed at Edwards Air Force Base in California, her first daughter Carrie was born in 1965. Mark was born at Mather Air Force Base in California in 1967, and Emily was born at Otis Air Force Base in Massachusetts in 1970. Barbara particularly enjoyed living in Germany, where she was able to visit many European countries.

Barbara loved spending time with her family. While she was a stay-at-home mother, she volunteered at many school and church functions. She was very talented at sewing, making children’s clothes, quilts, blankets and drapes. She especially loved to read and cook, and family dinners were a joy. During these dinners, much of her nurturing, guidance and teaching occurred, and there was much laughter around the Tatman dinner table. After dinner, hours of games ensued. Barbara was very adept at winning any kind of game – Rummy, Scrabble, Mah Jongg. Barbara also enjoyed puzzles and was very good at Sudoku, only doing the hard or extremely hard puzzles. She was very fond of dogs and had a “Snoopy” beagle named Mandy. Because she enjoyed Snoopy from the cartoon strip Peanuts, she would receive a Peanuts-themed/Snoopy card for each of her birthdays, mother’s day, etc. She also fell in love with Corgis, and shared her life with two of them, Penny and Bailey.

As her children got older and more independent, Barbara returned to work. She began her long career at H&R Block in Kaiserslautern, Germany in 1979, and retired from the Redmond, Washington office in 2012. She enjoyed applying her business skills as a tax preparer, advisor and manager, but her favorite part was seeing her clients year after year and following them through their own life milestones. She considered them her “other” family and maintained contact with them even after she retired.

Barbara especially delighted in being a grandmother to nine grandchildren. She was always interested in their activities and went to numerous school events, games and concerts. Christmas was a special time for her to share her blessings with her beloved children and grandchildren. She will be greatly missed by her life-long friend and husband David Tatman, son Paul and his children Sarah and Taylor, daughter Carrie Benton and husband Jeff and their children Erin and Evan, son Mark and his son Connor, Mark’s wife Angie and their children Grace and Lucy, daughter Emily Hutchison and her husband Brian and their children Megan and Natalie, sister Helen Price and her son Craig Price.

A Celebration of Life Ceremony will be held February 21, 2015 from 1-4 pm at the Tatman residence. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Toys for Tots or World Vision.