In Loving Memory of
Barbara Ann Brill
January 10, 1942 – September 2, 2020
Virtual Celebration of Life Gathering to be held January 24, 2021 at 4:00 PM PST
Barbara Ann Brill passed away unexpectedly on September 2 2020 in Bozeman, Montana at Highgate Memory Care. She was 78 and had been battling memory loss for some time.
She died peacefully with her beloved pooch, mini-aussie dog Cheever at her side.
Barbara is predeceased in death by her Parents, Leon Bernard Brill and Alice Louis Brill (Wright).
She is also preceded in death by her faithful and devoted Sushi cat. Sushi was a beautiful Persian feline that had plenty of personality and lived a long life with her loving parent for many years.
Barbara is survived by her son Ian Burns, daughter-in-law Sonya Randrup, grandsons Michael Burns and Nik Burns of Santa Rosa, CA. She also is survived by her sister Patti Brill, niece Amanda Martin, nephew Jesse Martin and wife Judy Martin and nephew Sam Ruczak, all of the Mendocino Coast.
Barbara’s beloved dog Cheever was adopted by her long time and best friend’s son, Jake and his wife Lisa, son Sean and daughter Collen Winn. Cheever is happy living in Oregon with his forever family. Her 2 cats Shadow and Specter survive and were adopted out to a cat loving home in Bozeman.
She was married to and is survived by R. Michael Burns of Fort Bragg (1963-1977).
Barbara was married to and is survived by Chris Vandiver of Bainbridge Island, WA (1983-1996).
Barbara was born on January 10th 1942 in Sacramento, CA.
She graduated from the University of California Berkeley in January 1963 with a degree in Political Science.
Later in her life she graduated from the University of Utah SJ Quinney School of Law with a Masters of Law. During her time there she served as a Senior Staff Member of the Utah Law Review Board from 1995-1996. Barbara was recognized many times for her prolific writing prowess such as the American Jurisprudence Award for Legal Writing and the William Leary Certificate for Outstanding Performance.
Barbara was most proud of her job as a Special District Attorney in the Office of the State Engineer for the State of New Mexico, she was a legal writer and litigator.
Barbara lived in many places, Truckee, Marin County, Navarro Ridge 2 times in California. Salt Lake City, Santa Fe New Mexico and her final stop in Bozeman, MT. She was a lover of the outdoors and enjoyed swimming, biking, running, kayaking and hiking these great locations.
Any contributions in her memory should be made to any Ronald McDonald House. Barbara was a cancer survivor and she would appreciate helping the families that have to deal with it.
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Knowing Barbara and being a friend for over forty years certainly enriched my life in so many ways.
I was looking forward to seeing her in New Mexico, as she was making plans to move last summer. After what did transpire, I found myself wishing for that last visit, like a child wanting more of a fun game over “again “, “again “, “again “.
Sadly, no rendezvous again,
A celebration and tribute instead.
I offered up a prayer for Barbara , a somewhat more secular prayer to meet Barbara’s approval.
In part as follows:
“Cause her to enter the garden of happiness, cleanse her with the most pure water and grant her Thy splendours on the loftiest mount .”
Barbara,
Con todo mi amor!
Audios, Amiga
Oddvar
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So sorry to hear that Barbara has passed away. I take solice in knowing that Barbara lived a rich and full life. Never one to shy away from a challenge Barbara accomplished much in her life. Whether it was nordic skiing that she mastered in her early forties or going on to graduate with honors from the University of Utah Law School at the age of 56, she always gave it her best. I know that my life was the better for having known her and for that I will always be grateful. May Barbara’s journey continue to be one of love and adventure.
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Barbara was the most competent woman I have ever known. She seemed to be able to do almost anything: build a house, sew designer clothes, ski, ride horses, climb mountains. She was a gourmet cook who could whip up a roasted salmon dinner after a long day working as a legal expert on water law in New Mexico. She was funny, self deprecating, sarcastic, and she did not suffer fools lightly. Her house was always spotless.
We both left Davis California about the same time. She to Mendocino with Ian and Michael to live on ‘the land’ with her friends, Bob and Sue Winn. I went to teach in France. I did not see her again for another 30 years. Then one day, I was about to walk through the glass doors leading to the swimming pool at El Gancho, a gym in Santa Fe, when a woman appeared on the other side of the door. We looked at each other through the glass in disbelief. There was Barbara! Looking just as she’d looked when Ian was a year old in Davis California! We immediately went to town to share a glass of celebratory wine!
For the next 20 years, every time I visited my aunt in Santa Fe, I stayed with her up on Los Lavatos Road. . Every once in awhile, she’d come visit me in New York City.
We became really good friends over those next 25 years.
Then and she moved to Montana where she loved her new neighbors, riding her horse, hiking the mountains. I was hoping to finally visit her in Montana last summer. CoVid put a stop to that.
Then — contrary as always — she up and died.
I will miss her sharp humor, her impatience, her generosity.
I will miss her presence in my life.
— Kathleen
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Oh Dear Barbara. I met Barbara in 2016 a year after she moved to bozeman. Our sweet dogs fell in love with one another instantly at the dog park there one day…and so begun our friendship. I have never met a more intelligent and eloquent person in my life. Until several weeks prior to her passing Barbara and I would get together often to laugh and cook and hike or walk the dogs if it was to icy on the trails. She spoke of the wonderful parts in her life often and always with such a twinkle in her eyes . We would laugh at how we are the only people either one of us had met in Bozeman that we actually wanted to spend any time with. Even though we were almost 17 years apart we were sisters in soul. What fun to have met my friend earlier in life. When times and memories took either one of us to darker memories we would toast a glass of wine and she would cook a wonderful meal. Our hearts will always hold their place for her and lives will be changed as we live on in loving memory of Dear Barbara.
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I met Barbara and became her friend in 1962 when we were both at University together. I think she is one of the brightest, most beautiful and accomplished women I’ve ever known. She could do just about anything, build a home in the country, drop and repair the engine of her VW bug, raise the vegetables in her organic garden and serve them to you later as part of a delicious gourmet meal, transform a decrepit old loggers hotel into a destination hot spot on the California coast, decide to go to law school in her 50s. Who does that? My amazing and beautiful friend Barbara. I will miss her always.
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Barbara, you had the ability to make life changing decisions and then go for it, all while embracing the outdoor and fitness lifestyle. I can still hear your voice saying “it’s time to get it together!” I miss you my friend!!
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Such a lover of the outdoors and animals. I miss connecting with you in this life!
Carol
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Ahhhh, Barbara. You were such a good neighbor and surrogate Mom to me in New Mexico. I was always in awe of your late-life career change, your commitment to yoga, and your fierce and feisty personality. Love to you and your family.
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I see you practicing your yoga on a golf course green in Hawaii and it brings back fond memories and lots of laughter!
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Love you and miss you Mom!
Ian