Barbara (Bretschneider) Sears

Barbara Sears, age 90, of Ottawa, IL, passed away at her home on Friday, April 10, 2020, surrounded by her daughter and son-in-law.

Funeral Services will be private at Oakwood Memorial Park in Ottawa, IL. Ottawa Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.

Barbara was born on July 8, 1929 in Indianapolis, IN, to Frederick William Bretschneider of Ladd, IL and Laura "Mary" Woodson (Hoffman) of Cairo, IL. Barbara had no middle name because her mother thought her name was already long enough. After a few years, the family moved to Chicago, and then relocated to Miami, FL in 1935. 

In 1958, in Miami, on a blind date, she met a dashing young Air Force pilot, William Alger Sears, Jr., of Chicago, IL, as he was on his way to be stationed in Germany. After only two dates, they decided to get married. She joined him a couple months later in Germany and they drove to Basel, Switzerland where they married on May 13, 1958. They traveled all over Europe and especially enjoyed the excellent cuisine. They were next stationed in England where their two children were born. They later lived in South Carolina, Germany again, and retired in Chicago. After his retirement they divorced, but remained friends.

Barbara moved back to Miami for a few years and later to Bremerton, WA, where she supported herself by buying and reselling "things other people no longer wanted". She relocated to Ottawa for the last ten years. Her hobbies included refinishing furniture, framing pictures, woodworking, rewiring lamps, oil painting, sewing, knitting, and crocheting. She liked traveling and trying anything new. 

She is survived by her daughter, Melanie (Kevin) Goodchild and their two children, Duncan and Kali Goodchild of Ottawa, IL; and her son, William A. "Bill" (Crystal) Sears, III and his daughter, Jacquelynn "Jackie" Sears of Santee, CA.

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