HANSELL, Barbara

HANSELL (Elliott),

Barbara Louise

Died at Mt. Carmel East Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, on March 9, 2022. She was 88 years old. Barbara was born September 16, 1933, in Springfield, Ohio, the second of six daughters of Leroy "Bus" and Irene (Leffue) Elliott. She graduated from Springfield High School in 1952 and married the love of her life, Horace "Newt" Hansell, whom she met while roller-skating. Together, they raised five rowdy children as she managed all the moves they made during Newt's career on the railroad. She worked for many years at Mercy Medical Center along with her beloved sister, the late Nancy Grube, the head of nursing instruction. As a secretary and greeter in the emergency room, Barbara

often saw people at their worst and welcomed them with a disarming congeniality, and a maternal embrace, even if they could not find their insurance card. Barbara loved life, dancing with her husband and enjoyed time with high school friends and their Card Club parties, even if the kids never

actually saw them playing cards. She loved kids - her kids, her grandkids - really anyone's kids. If there was a baby in the room, it was never long before Barb scooped him or her into her loving arms. Barbara loved her sisters. For decades, the

Elliott girls, their parents and families celebrated every known holiday together at each other's homes or Snyder Park. They were golden times. And though a Hansell by marriage,

Barbara was the glue that held the family together, the common denominator in everyone's life at the Hansell Family

Reunion. Barb and Newt loved to travel and when they were not bringing along the kids, they cruised the Caribbean and made two trips to Europe. But above all, Barb loved the beach, especially the Outer Banks of North Carolina. On their 60th wedding anniversary, instead of a party she insisted on a family vacation to Nags Head where her entire family spent a fabulous week on the beach. She never met a stranger and even in her last days, made friends with all the nurses on the floor, asking about their children and their lives. Barbara was also a survivor, winning battle after battle against six different cancers throughout her life. She shared her experiences with other cancer patients, helping them in their struggles as a volunteer counselor and mentor. Later, as Newt's battle with Alzheimer's progressed, Barbara took tender care of him, almost all by herself. Barbara is survived by sisters Sue

(Raleigh) Mitchell, Sally Martin, Peggy (James) Bridgett and Cindy (Richard) Rhodes, her children Mark, Jeff (Sophie), Tim (Kathy), Steve (Jean) and Julie Beth (Wayne) Parkey; grandchildren Maggie Crawford, Penelope Shumaker, Kirstin Carley, Kolin Hurlbut, Betsy Kenney, Francesca Hansell, Natalie Hansell, Max Hansell, Jules and Mathis Hansell; great-grandchildren Wesley, Hayden, Charlotte, Audrey, Adelaide, Reece, Sean, Henry, Samuel, Violet and Aaliyah. She was preceded in death by her husband, Horace. Visitation will be at Littleton Rue Funeral Home Thursday, March 17 from 6pm to 8pm, services on Friday, March 18 at 11am at the funeral home. Burial to follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Tremont City. Online expression of sympathy may be made at

www.littletonandrue.com.