Barbara Ann Rose

Barbara (“Barbie”) Rose, 74, of Indianapolis, IN, passed away on April 4th after a seventeen year-long battle with kidney cancer. She was born on November 26^th, 1949, to the late Max and Opal Fern (Englert) Rose. She died as she prayed she would; she was surrounded by her entire family during her final moments, to the very last breath.

Barbie spent her entire life in service to her family. She was the middle of five children, and helped to raise her siblings, her cousins, and their friends. After her father died, she stayed and took care of her mother, and during this time she also helped her brother David and his wife Betty raise their children after he’d been stricken blind by diabetes–a disease which would take his life decades before Barbie. And then, in 1991, she moved in with her sister Dora and her husband, David Perry, and spent the rest of her life raising her nieces and nephews (Andrea, Tara, David, Tylor, Tia, and Kayla). During that time, she lost a sister Jeanine to diabetes, as well. She never took a boyfriend or husband, and she never had children of her own. Her entire life was dedicated to working, cooking, cleaning, and nannying for her family. She was a surrogate mother to generations.

Doctor Stephen Eberwine called her his “miracle patient” after she survived her first major surgery nearly two decades ago, and again over seven years ago. Barbie was a woman in constant prayer, for everything and everyone. She was the sort of person that validated every moment of life. Her grace was profound. Undefinable. Everyone who ever met her was deeply in love with her as a human being. The moment you met her, it was clear that you were in the presence of something you could never live up to, and you were just thankful that at least this one person could so sweetly embody all the good you desperately needed to know existed.

Barbie is survived by her sisters, Dora (husband David) and Kathy (husband Mark Mace), and by all of her children, who are too numerous to name.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 11^th, 2024, from 4:00pm – 8:00pm at Flanner Buchanan Decatur Township, and her funeral service will be held the following day, Friday, April 12^th, 2024, beginning at 11:00am at the funeral home. Chaplain Richard Brendan will officiate the service. She will be laid to rest at Fairfield Friends Cemetery, Camby, IN. To share your fondest memories with the family and sign the online guestbook, please go to www.flannerbuchanan.com.