BARBARA GRACE MCKOWN

07/21/1942 - 12/16/2022

Barbara Grace McKown, born July 21, 1942, in Columbus OH, passed away peacefully with her loving family by her side on December 16, 2022, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. After graduating from Avonworth High School in Pittsburgh, PA, she attended University of Pittsburgh on a Senatorial Scholarship as a Fine Arts major. Subsequently, she graduated from Indiana University in Elementary Education and became a second-grade teacher at Park Side Elementary in Columbus, IN. While taking graduate courses at IU she met her future husband Michael McKown who was in the MBA program. Barb and Mike soon married and joined Marathon Oil Company at their headquarters in Findlay, OH, where Barb taught Kindergarten. Barb was very supportive of Mike’s career even though frequent corporate transfers relocated the family. In addition to homes in Findlay (three times) and London, the family lived in Fairfield, CT, and Houston (three times).

Son Christopher was born in Findlay in 1969, and three years later daughter Stephanie was born in London during a four-year overseas assignment. Upon arriving in London with a 16-month-old baby, Barb endured a postal strike, garbage strike, and power blackouts during a coal miner strike - all at the same time. But looking back Barb agreed it was one of the best times of our lives with lots of London theater, cuisine, and European vacations. On one occasion Barb’s mother Ruth visited London. We took her to the Royal Albert Hall to see her favorite conductor, Leonard Bernstein, conduct Beethoven’s Ninth while sitting in a balcony box next to Prime Minister Heath. Ruth laughingly asked if we did this sort of thing often!

During the last 28 years living in Houston, Barb became involved in charitable groups including the Fort Bend Women’s Center for abused women and children. On one occasion she organized professional hair styling for a large group of abused women at a local beauty salon. She said, “You should have seen how delighted and thankful they were.” She enjoyed gathering items with the Silent Auction Committee for the Women’s Center’s Annual Fundraiser. Along with her good friend Carole Albers, Barb loved getting together with friends at committee meetings. Other activities included her Book Club, Canasta group, and bridge friends.

Barb loved to visit daughter Stephanie, son-in-law Chris, in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. Her face lit up whenever she thought about her grandkids, Quinn and Katie O’Rourke. Fortunately, she was able to see them often as they have grown up.

Barb loved dogs and no doubt her favorite was a toy poodle named Heidi. She always looked forward to watching the Westminster Dog Show on TV. On one Saturday Mike said we were going downtown for lunch, but the real destination was a surprise – a huge dog show at the George R. Brown convention center.

In recent years Barb has taken great pleasure from watercolor painting numerous items including flowers, animals, landscapes to name a few. Her paintings now adorn the homes of many friends and family.

Barb will be remembered for having a big heart and loving to help other people in need.

She is survived by her loving family including husband Michael McKown, son Christopher McKown, daughter Stephanie Grace McKownO’Rourke and her husband Christopher O’Rourke, grandson Quinn O’Rourke, granddaughter Katherine Grace O’Rourke and her brother-in-law Philip McKown and partner Paul Walker. Also, she will be sorely missed by her two sisters, Judy Singer and Marcia Larson, and their families.

Memorial services will be held at Christ Church Sugar Land, 3300 Austin Pkwy, Sugar Land, TX 77479 on December 22, 2022, at 10:30 am central time. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations to be made in Barbara McKown’s honor to the Fort Bend Women’s Center. Donations can be made directly to their website at https://fbwc.org/