Barbara Rexilius

Barbara Rexilius, age 76, of Bloomingdale, died on Thursday June 15, 2017 at her home in Bloomingdale.

Born in Woodruff, Wisconsin on March 26, 1941, she was the daughter of Leon and Louise (Wagener) Goff. Barbara married Eugene H. Rexilius on March 20, 1964 in Palo Alto, CA. He predeceased her on June 6, 1996.

Barbara graduated from Chico State College with her Bachelors in Nursing in 1963, and received her master’s in Medical Surgical Nursing with a minor in Nursing Education at the University of Minnesota in 1972. Barbara’s work history includes being a staff nurse and then an assistant head nurse at Marin General Hospital in San Rafael, CA.1963-1966. In 1967 she worked as a staff nurse at Twin Pines Psychiatric Hospital in Bellmont, CA. From 1967 to 1969 she worked as a nursing instructor at the College of San Mateo in San Mateo, CA. From 1969 to 1970 she worked at the University of Minnesota Hospitals as the clinical in-services educator head nurse. From 1976 to 1977 she worked as a coordinator of the second-year associate nursing degree program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, NE. From 1978 to 1984 she worked as the Director of Education Development at the Community Health Center of Branch County in Coldwater, MI. From 1984 to 1986 she worked as an Assistant Professor in Nursing at Tarrant County Junior College in Fort Worth, TX. From 1986 to 1998 she worked as the Director of Nursing Programs for North Country Community College in Saranac Lake, NY. 1999 to 2001 she worked as an Instructor of Nursing in the Baccalaureate Program for Plattsburgh State University in Plattsburgh, NY.

Barbara also published many articles about nursing including a Thesis: A Comparative Study of the Views of the Staff Nurse and Nurse Clinician of the Nurse Clinician Role at the University of Minnesota Hospitals. March 1972, “The -Thou Relationship and Nursing”, The Nebraska Nurse, for which she received the “Excellence in Writing Award”, for 1977, from the Nebraska Nurses’ Association. Chest Drainage and Suction, FA Davis Co., Philadelphia, 1977, “Why Not Chart First”, Supervisor Nurse, February 1981. Special consultant to Lee, Barret & Ignatavicius. Fluids & Electrolytes: a Practical Approach. 4th ed., FA Davis, Philadelphia, 1996. She also served as a product consultant to a manufacturer of medical products. Barbara also worked as a consultant for Glen Oaks Community College in Centerville, Michigan during the development of an AD nursing program from 1983 to 1984.

She was most proud of her professional achievements in the fields of nursing and nursing education. Her goal was to always leave a job better than she found it. Barb was a firm believer in the great protestant work ethic; there was joy in work and working hard at any endeavor was the tell of one’s character.

She is survived by her son Marcus(LaWann) Rexilius of Arlington, TX, her daughter Reiko Rexilius of Lake Clear, NY, her Grandson PFC Chaos Rexilius-Tuthill of Camp Pendleton, CA , her brother Charles (Sue) Goff of Lubbock, TX, her sisters Donna (Goff) Love of Tigard, OR, Louella (Goff) Camacho of Rio Vista, CA and informal adopted sister Kathryn (Keffer) Holland of Woodburn, OR, her nieces Denise(Poulsen) Lysowski of Milwaukee, WI, Sandra (Poulsen) Mars of Chicago, IL, Tracy (Love) Silver of Tigard, OR, Cousins, Mark Marquez of Daly City, CA and Jo-an ( Garrison ) Gardinier of Phelps, WI, and her step Grand Children: Danielle Tuthill of West Hollywood, CA and Michael Tuthill or Vermontville, NY.

Barb was especially proud of her family’s ability to survive through the lean times and the bad times. Often reflecting on her late Shanty, Irish Grandmother, who would say no matter what happened to us, “we all growed up and got big”. Barb was proud that she made it to “big”.

Her hobbies were gardening, painting, reading, canoeing and sharing that joy with others. She had a passion for football, specifically the Green Bay Packers and Nebraska Cornhuskers. She loved long walks in the woods and canoeing with her Anatolian Shepard, Machovicka.

The family of Barbara Rexilius will be welcoming friends and colleagues for a celebration of her life on Wednesday June 21, 2017 from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM at her house, the big blue house in Bloomingdale (1787 State Route 3). Please come with mementoes and stories to share. Barb wanted to fill her house with people, enjoying the moment with food, beverage, music, and shared memories, laughter and the occasional tear. A dedication and graveside service will take place on Thursday June 22, 2017 at Pine Ridge Cemetery.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. Friends wishing to remember Barbara Rexilius may make memorial contributions to North Country Community College or Tri-Lakes Humane Society in care of the funeral home.