Barbara Elaine Denniston, 69, of Anderson, Indiana, passed away on Tuesday (May 24, 2022) at Community Hospital North in Indianapolis, Indiana. She was born on August 3, 1952, in Dover, Ohio, daughter of the late Gloria (Schrader) Funk and Wilford Funk. Barb married Michael Alan Denniston on June 22, 1974, and they enjoyed 39 years of marriage until Mike’s passing in 2013.
The hallmarks of Barb’s life were her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, her family, and her passion for music and children.
She graduated from Cambridge High School in 1970 and earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Anderson College in 1974. She and Mike returned to Cambridge in 1975 where Mike joined the family business with his wife’s parents and Barb began her decades-long career in teaching. She began her career as a first grade teacher, and liked to say that she was soon “demoted” to kindergarten, much to the joy and benefit of generations of children. Barb went on to teach kindergarten at St. Benedict School in Cambridge for over 30 years, until her retirement. She also taught piano lessons to many children in the area over the years and served as an accompanist for many students (especially her own children and their friends) at their solo and ensemble competitions.
Cambridge First Church of the Nazarene was Barb’s home church for many years. She attended there faithfully, serving as pianist, organist, Sunday School teacher, and Caravan teacher for many years. She and Mike served together in music ministry, along with their children, in their home church, traveling to other churches, and through regular ministry at Cambridge Healthcare Center. In her retirement years, she attended South Bend First Church of the Nazarene and later Maple Grove Church of God in Anderson, Indiana where she also taught Sunday School, served in the music ministry, and served on the church board.
Barb’s first desire was to know Jesus and to make him known to the world in everything she did. A servant at heart, she leaves a legacy in her loving family and her rich relationships with her many close friends for whom she prayed faithfully. She was our best soprano, the maker of the best Christmas cut-out cookies, one of those grandmas who would let you build a giant fort out of cardboard boxes and never take it down, and always the first person to turn to when you needed prayer or encouragement.
Barb is survived by her son, Timothy (Jennifer) Denniston of Granger, Indiana, and daughter, Sarah (Ryan) Jackson, of Anderson, Indiana; one grandson, Wilford Michael “Will” Denniston; siblings, Brenda (John) Aukerman of Anderson, Indiana, and Rick (Nancy) Funk, of Richmond, Indiana; her mother-in-law, Thelma (Brouse) Denniston of Frankfort, Indiana; and many brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, and nephews within her closely-knit extended family, all of whom loved her deeply and will miss her greatly.
Visitation will be on Friday, May 27, from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 pm at Bundy-Law Funeral Home, Cambridge. The service will be at 11:00 am Saturday at the Cambridge First Church of the Nazarene, 533 Jefferson Ave., Cambridge, OH 43725. The Rev Andy Denniston and Ken Harper officiating. Burial will follow in Northwood Cemetery.