Our precious mother Barbara Anne (Shaw) Blackwell, age 99, left her earthly home to be with our Lord, along with all the angels and saints and those who have gone before her, on Christmas Eve. She joins our father, Carroll David Blackwell, her loving husband of 51 years.

Barbara was born on September 15, 1924, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She was the oldest of four children of Orrice and Elvira (Draths) Shaw. Her three brothers were Thomas (Nancy), Robert (Eleanor) and James (Noni). Barbara and Carroll had four children: Mark Blackwell (deceased) (children Chris, Kate and Tim); Deborah (Michael) Mustard (children Andy (deceased), Shannon, Katy and Coley); Julia Blackwell Gelinas (son Alex); and Stephen (Cheryl) Blackwell (children Brandon, Sean and Emily). She also is survived by many great grandchildren.

Although Barbara lived her earliest years in Fort Wayne, she spent some of her happiest times growing up in Grand Ledge, Michigan, playing on the ledges, caring for her pony Ginger, taking piano lessons with Ms. Leona Butters, picking strawberries with the snakes, ice skating on the flooded baseball diamond, and breathing in the crisp Michigan air on her daily five mile walks to school through snowbanks taller than her. The Great Depression was a major part of Barbara's childhood, but her faith, from an early age, formed the foundation of all else in her life. Her Grandmother Draths nurtured this faith and was a loving presence throughout her life and thus became a presence in the lives of all of Barbara's loved ones, including through many of Grandma Draths's oft-quoted sayings like "saints never rush."

Barbara moved to West Lafayette for her senior year of high school, which was followed by a year at Purdue University. She received the highest mark - a "6H" - for excellent pie making at Purdue, setting the stage for years of good-natured banter, traditions, and aspirations for all family pie bakers. Spending time on campus during World War II, watching Purdue welcome service men in droves marching in formation and filling campus housing, was a memorable experience that she often shared when reminiscing about this time of her life.

In 1943 Barbara moved with her family back to Fort Wayne, where she worked at Wolf & Dessauer Department Store and modeled clothing and fashion for Dick Galbraith. It was during this time that she met Army Captain Carroll Blackwell when he was home on leave from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on St. Patrick's Day, 1945. After forming a deep and instant connection when they first met, they married on February 2, 1946, upon Carroll's discharge from the Army. They spent 51 loving years in marriage before Carroll's death in 1997.

After their marriage, Barbara and Carroll settled in New Haven and opened Blackwell's Department Store, with locations over the years in New Haven, Decatur and Auburn. Over the course of the store's more than 40 years of operation, Barbara and Carroll frequently traveled to Chicago, New York, and Indianapolis on buying trips, where they worked long days and thoroughly enjoyed the time with each other and the many friends they made at the markets.

Barbara and Carroll raised their family in New Haven and Fort Wayne, where Barbara's nightly homecooked meals and desserts (and Carroll's effusive enjoyment of them) were a bedrock of their warm and cozy home life. Regular hosting of extended family for Sunday afternoon pool time and dinners, daily rosaries, excitement over holiday and other traditions, and enjoying with a positive attitude each aspect of the life God was willing for them – offering up all their blessings and hardships to God – formed their steady daily lives. The undercurrent of their entire homelife always revolved around Barbara and Carroll's love of God and deep devotion to the traditional Roman Catholic faith.

Barbara was blessed to form close relationships with many who shared her faith and love of our Lord and Blessed Mother, including many priests and members of the parish families of the Society of Saint Pius X. Barbara lived her faith openly and genuinely, never hesitating to warmly extend an "I'm praying for you – please pray for me" to family, friends, neighbors, caregivers and anyone who crossed her path. A long and loving presence in the lives of her entire family, Barbara will be missed terribly but remembered for her warmth, kindness, love, and compassion, and for the beautiful witness of her faith through both her life and her death. In the words she frequently shared with her great grandchildren, "God loves you, and so do I." May her soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, rest in peace.

Barbara's family is grateful to all who lovingly cared for her in her final days, including at StoryPoint, Heart to Heart Hospice, and Senior1Care. Memorial contributions may be made to Heart to Heart Hospice Foundation or The Society of Saint Pius X, in support of the Society's mission work in West Africa.

Visitation will occur on Sunday, January 7, 2024, from 2pm to 5pm, at Divine Mercy Funeral Home, 3500 Lake Avenue, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46805. Visitation with Rosary will occur on Monday, January 8, 2024, from 9am to 10am, at St. John Fisher Catholic Church, 4800 Calhoun Street, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46807. Mass of Christian Burial will follow on Monday, January 8, 2024, at 10am, at St. John Fisher Catholic Church.