Barbara Ann Horn

Please click here to view the live stream for the funeral service. The live stream of the funeral service for Mrs. Barbara Horn will begin at 2:00pm on Saturday, March 26th. 

    Barbara Ann Horn was born on September 25, 1931 in Chicago, Illinois. She was the oldest of six children born to William and Dorothy Bailey Simms. In her childhood years, she enjoyed good times playing with her siblings, cousins and friends. As a young teen, Barbara was fiercely protective of her younger siblings; Joanna, Ricky, Phyllis, Nancy and Joyce. Her caring and protective nature earned her the nickname, “Big Bad Barbara”. After graduating from George Washington Carver High School in 1950, Barbara entered the workforce with a determination to trailblaze a bright future.

On August 29, 1954, Barbara married David Horn. She and “Big Dave”, as she affectionately called him, were blessed to have three children; David, Stephen and Lori. Barbara loved her family. From the time they were children she continually nurtured and encouraged them to dream, excel and enjoy life. Because of her passion for learning and education, she encouraged and looked for opportunities to expose her children to enriching activities, a variety of social environments, and different kinds people. She didn’t let many things get in the way of what she envisioned for her family. She prioritized her income and spending on the betterment of her children and not on personal possessions. Whether it was getting David and Stephen into a private high school, or enrolling Lori in a college engineering program, Barbara would research, make connections, and get the information she needed to make things happen. She was a true problem solver for her family. Barbara was also extremely proud of her grandchildren. She loved hearing about their accomplishments and would boast about them to anyone who would listen.

 Barbara was a generous and giving woman who looked out for the welfare of others. When she and Big Dave lived in an apartment building that she managed, she made sure that some of her siblings and their families could live there too. She also helped family members and friends secure jobs. After Barbara and Big Dave bought a house, she could always be counted on to give family or friends a place to stay if they needed it. Never one to keep helpful information or any success to herself, Barbara gave timely advice to friends and family members so that they could also benefit from her knowledge. Through the years, so many people would say, “If you need to know something about (fill in the blank) call Barbara. She reads everything!”

Firecracker. Fun loving. Glamorous. Life of the party. Loud. These are just some of the words that describe Barbara in her element. So many people were drawn to her because of her vibrant, feisty personality. She loved being around friends and family, and they loved having her around. You could hear her talking and laughter from a mile away! Barbara made friends easily and she had a special kinship with people from other countries. She loved the food, lively music and culture of the Caribbean islands and Africa. Although she had many friends from these countries and enjoyed her life in the U.S., she would playfully say she wanted to go live among the Massai warriors. Even though she never made it to Africa, she lived near family in three different states: Illinois, Georgia, and Maryland. She made fond memories everywhere she lived.

Barbara was raised in the Catholic faith as a child, and as an adult she committed her life to the Lord and was baptized. She enjoyed reading her bible and singing her favorite gospel song; the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah. Barbara departed this life on March 2, 2022 at the age of 90 years old. She was preceded in death by both of her parents, all five of her siblings, and her husband David. Barbara leaves to cherish her memory her sons David and Stephen; her daughter Lori; two daughters-in-law Sandra and Melanie, her son-in-law Sean; seven grandchildren Dennis, Amber, Natalie, Camille, Autumn, Ashley and Jordan; and many nieces, nephews and other relatives. Barbara was loved by many and will be greatly missed.