Barbara Mae (Glasberg) Applebaum, of Bowling Green, Ohio, passed away suddenly on Friday, May 10th at St. Luke’s Hospital from heart failure. She was born in Youngstown, Ohio on January 6th, 1943 to Robert and Yetta (Pianin) Glasberg. She met Charles Applebaum while attending Mt. Sinai Nursing school in Cleveland, Ohio in 1961. They were married on December 27, 1964 in Youngstown, Ohio. She finished a Bachelor of Psychology at Youngstown State University in 1965, and they moved to New Brunswick,New Jersey so Charlie could pursue his PhD in Mathematics at Rutgers University. In 1969, they moved to Bowling Green, where Barbara stayed home with her daughters, Robin (1968) and Laura (1971) while Charlie taught at BGSU.
Barbara loved learning. She completed three Master’s Degrees at Bowling Green State University throughout her lifetime. She followed her first, in American Studies (1979), with a certification to teach High School English (1981). She taught English at Elmwood Schools in the early 80s, before returning to Graduate school for her second Master’s in Technical Writing (1984). She found her true calling with the completion of her third Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling in 1992. She worked in a variety of positions, including as a nursing home ombudsman, epilepsy counselor, chemical-dependency counselor and CASA.
She was an active member of MVUUC of Bowling Green for nearly thirty years. She became a commissioned lay leader, was the program chairman and Religious Education leader for many years and served on the board of trustees. Barb was licensed to perform weddings in the state of Ohio and loved getting to know the couples she married.
In addition to serving as the director of the Bowling Green Christian Food Pantry from 1986-1988, Barb spent time serving on the boards of the BG Woman’s Club and the Friends of the Wood County Library. She enjoyed an eclectic array of personal activities, including dream group, drumming, Mah Jongg (she started and led three groups in Bowling Green), playing piano, reading, doing jigsaws and crossword puzzles, meditation groups and singing at church and with the University Choral Society.
She is survived by her husband and sister (Susan Bloom of Melbourne Beach, Florida), two daughters Robin (Kevin) Cagle of Bowling Green and Laura Anna Sigworth of Houston, Texas and three grandchildren: William and Daniel Cagle and Jasmine Sigworth.
Barbara was regarded as a kind and generous woman by all who had the privilege of knowing her. She loved being a wife, a mom, and a grandma. She was like a second mother or grandmother to many.
A celebration of her life will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday May 30, 2019 at First United Methodist Church, 1526 East Wooster Street Bowling Green, Ohio 43402. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Dunn Funeral Home in Bowling Green.
The family requests that memorials in her name be given to Maumee Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation (MVUUC) of Bowling Green or the Wood County Library in lieu of flowers. To share a condolence or memory with Barbara’s family visit www.dunnfuneralhome.com.
