Barbara Sullivan

Barbara Martha Sullivan, 81, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, April 23, 2009, at the Lutheran Home.

She was born Friday, Feb. 3, 1928, daughter of Franz and Martha Stanke Bartsch in Selesia, Germany, in what is now Poland. She grew up there. She and Harry A. Sullivan were married at Old St. Vincent's Church in Cape Girardeau in 1953.

Barbara came to the U.S. as a displaced person in 1953. She became an American citizen in Jefferson City, Mo., in 1955. She worked at the former Landgraf Lumber Co. in Cape Girardeau. Barbara and her husband later worked at the USDA in Washington, D.C., until an accident put her in a wheelchair in 1986. They returned to Cape Girardeau and moved into Saxony Village in 2001.

Survivors include her husband, Harry Sullivan of Cape Girardeau; a daughter, Christine Sullivan of Washington, D.C.; four sons, Patrick Sullivan of New Mexico, Timothy Sullivan of South Carolina, Kevin Sullivan and Steven Sullivan, both of Harrisonburg, Va.; a brother, Horst Bartsch of Stuttgart, Germany; a cousin, Enga Bartsch of Cologne, Germany; and seven grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by two brothers and a sister.

A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 9 a.m. Saturday at Old St. Vincent's Catholic Church, with the Rev. Tom Kiefer officiating.

Memorials may be given to Catholic Charities.

Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.