Barbara E. Mcintire

Memories and memory eternal: my sweet, pretty little sister left us today on wings of joy.

She was born Barbara E Wilson when I was 3. Up until her birth, my parents Joe and Barbara told me she was going to be named Kathy. Now, when I tried to say Kathy it came out “Cappy.” My father wanted to name her Barbara after her mother; they eventually did, but I would always call her Cappy and whether you got to know her as Cappy or Barbara, you knew a gentle, kind, loving woman.

She was widowed twice and was not able to have children. She loved many things: her animals, from horses to dogs, cats and birds. She had a green thumb in the garden. People were a great love — she would introduce herself and engage total strangers in conversations.

After her second husband died, she moved to Billings to be close to family. Cappy was ill for the last two years and confined to home, but she soldiered on. Her great friend and neighbor Mary Ann provided her with so much love and attention. They had known each other from the day Cappy moved in next door and immediately knocked on Mary Ann’s door to introduce her self. At that same time Cappy spied a small boy and said, “hi champ, you want to come with me?” She loved children and that little boy named Malachi, Mary Ann’s grandson, became one of her best buddies for life. Dates and places are just markers in life; memories, now, that is life lived! Those two made many memories together and, of course, Mary Ann got over the shock of “who is this crazy lady taking my grandson?”, and they all became part of the Cappy family.

My boys Brian, Matthew and Nathan loved their aunt Cappy and they also experienced new and wonderful things through and with her. What aunt teaches little kids to play five card stud…for money!

I will miss my little sister. Her wonderful smile and laughter would brighten my day and, even in sickness, she continued to bring joy, never complaining or letting anyone fuss over her.

She is not here but she is not gone. When I see a family playing or someone walking a dog or working in their garden, I think of her and memories eternal.