Terri Ann Barbour

September 15, 1947 - September 26, 2017

It is with great sadness that the families Schulz, Barbour, Giovannetti, Cabassi, Ontko, Brown and Ustick announce the untimely death of Terri Ann Barbour who passed away peacefully on Tuesday September 26, 2017 at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Oakland, California after a determined struggle with acute myeloid leukemia.

Terri was born on September 15, 1947 in Modesto, California to Thelma Brown Barbour and Walter E. Barbour and joined the Barbour family with step sister Marlene ( deceased) brothers Rodney (Deceased) and Tom now in Atwater, California . Regrettably, Thelma passed away in an automobile accident when Terri was 2 years old . Her father, concerned that Terri needed a closer mother’s touch at that young age, asked Terri’s aunt, Dorothy Ustick, Thelma’s older sister, if she would provide that “touch” in the Ustick home. Terri was raised by Dorothy and her husband, Richard along with her father’s continuing love and support.

Terri grew up in Modesto, started school at Enslen Grammar School, attended Davis High School, Modesto Junior College,and graduated from the University of California at Berkeley. Her education included exchange student overseas trips, and at one point she lived in Austria with the Hochhauser family with whom she maintained contact all her life.

Terri’s studies and social interests were eclectic ranging from wonderful school friends, skiing trips in the Sierras during her Junior College days, finding joy in California’s wine making and business operations, piano playing, and saving animals, birds, plants and trees with The Sierra Club. She attended the University of Hawaii and went through the 60’s tear gas days at the University of California, Berkeley as a Political Science and Geology student. She also attended San Francisco State University with a degree in Geology.

This program helped solidify her education in one way or another and gave her the opportunity for a 25+ year career with Chevron Corporation in California. With Chevron she worked and traveled in many parts of the world, especially when she took on environmental assignments, wellbore analysis and site inspections.

Terri met her life partner, Mark Schulz, and they enjoyed each other through work, travel, and a well earned retirement for 45 years. Often, their trips included long time friend and work-mate Don Gibson, as they crisscrossed unique mountain geology and always Palm Springs, California around “Thanksgiving.” She never met a cave, rock, fossil, or geological fault line she didn’t like!

Terri is survived by her wonderful partner Mark Schulz (Oakland), brother Tom Barbour ( Atwater), sister Lani Giovanetti (Bonny Doon), brother John Giovanetti, (El Dorado Hills), “brother” Dick Ustick, (Virginia Beach) ,cousins, Carolyn Goodnight (Modesto) Chuck Brown (Yuba City), Marilyn Ontko (Reno), Sue Cabassi (Modesto), and a host of Nieces and Nephews.

At her request, Terri will have a special burial at sea. Donations in Terri’s honor can be made to: St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1000, Department 142, Memphis,TN 38148-0142.