Barbara Jean Harriman Zummak was born March 18, 1946 at Allen hospital in Waterloo Iowa. She was raised with loving care by her grandparents Glenn and Hattie Harriman. Barb was a Brownie and later a Girl Scout. She attended and enjoyed Girl Scout camp, and would often reminiscence about her fun at Girl Scout camp. She attended and graduated from East High in Waterloo in 1965, where she participated in the high school band, and played at most of the sporting events.
Barb was united in marriage to Richard A. Zummak on December 5, 1965, at Maywood Wesley Methodist Church in Waterloo. With this union of marriage, Barb and Richard were blessed with the birth of Allen and Debbie.
Barb loved camping because it was a family event, where the family and friends were together and enjoyed each other and nature at its best. Many places were revisited in the camping trailer, because Allen and Debbie like to go back and revisit Silver Dollar City and the Black Hills of South Dakota.
Barb's is well-known for her kindness, a big heart of giving of herself and to a number of charities. She had a passion with flowers which was over whelming, a knack for creating wall decoration for the home and for other people. Her precious moments were outside with her flowers and nature. Caring for her flowers, sitting on the deck, watching birds build their nest and raising their young. Feeding the squirrels was her joy, watching them chase one another about the yard and she found time to visit with the neighbors over the fence, for she had a gift of gab.
She had a very completive spirit of playing cards or a good game of marbles or other game boards, which was a family or friend event. Barb's greatest love and joy was being a wife, mother, a grandmother, and a friend to all. Barb worked outside the home for more than 32 years. This was so she could give her children and grandchildren extra things in life that she didn't get as a young child. Barb cheered for two football teams the Packers and the Bears. Why? Because Allen liked the Packers and Debbie liked the Bears; she kept them happy and kept peace in the family. Her pets were like her children, and she care for them with great love. Myia would follow Barb everywhere and wait while she did her work, then move on to wherever Barb would go. Barbara was a member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Evansdale. She was also a member of Madonna White Shrine and a past Worthy High Priestess.
Barb died Friday, January 19, 2024, at the Trillium House in Marquette, Michigan with Debbie by her side.
Barbara is survived by her son, Allen (Karen Siler) Zummak of Dunkerton; daughter, Debbie (Kathy Hill) Zummak of Negaunee, MI; five grandchildren, David Murphy, Alexandria Arnold, Caleb Zummak, Tyler Zummak and Allie Mae Zummak; two great-grandchild, Bailey Arnold and Logan Arnold; stepmother, Isabelle Ames of Waterloo; half siblings, Joseph (Denise) Card of Evansdale, and Georgia Card of Waterloo.
She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Richard Zummak, grandchild, Brendon Zummak; and half-sister, Judy Card.