Barbara Ingmand Ericson died Sunday, September 23, 2018 in Chicago, IL after a passage through the long twilight of Alzheimer's disease. She devoted her life to serving others, laughed easily, and listened deeply.Her buoyant spirit and profound care for the welfare of others touched the lives of many people.
Born August 30, 1935 in Ashland, OH, she was the oldest child of Robert D. Ingmand and Marjorie Clark Ingmand. She graduated in 1956 from William Woods College in Missouri, and taught school for a number of years before devoting her time to raising her children. Later in her life, during her residence in Elm Grove and Brookfield, WI, she became a notable philanthropist and care giver.
In the 1970's she co-founded the Senior Center with Mt. Zion Lutheran Church in Wauwatosa, WI, and then went onto hospice work, focusing on oncology patients. In the 1980's as AIDS became a public health issue, she moved into care for HIV patients.She directed the bulk of her philanthropy to strengthen the fight against AIDS.
She was an enthusiasticpatron of the arts, supporting the Milwaukee Symphony, the Milwaukee Ballet, and the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. She also worked for greater literacy for disadvantaged people through the Next Door Foundation.
Ultimately, Barbara spent 20 years in service of the fight against AIDS. She served on the boards of the Wisconsin AIDS Fund and the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin (ARCW). She was also an emotional support volunteer, and trained many other volunteers.
Barbara was an accomplished pianist, an avid reader of literature and poetry and an intrepid world traveler. During a trip to India in the 1990's to visit one of her sons who was living there, she spent much of her time assisting in a camp where village people were being given free eye surgery. Her interests were wide-ranging, and she could talk to anyone about anything.
Her marriage to Dr. Winfred H. Stringer in 1956 produced three children before ending in divorce. In later years, they became close again, celebrating holidays with their children together in Chicago and at the family's beloved summer cottage at Mullett Lake, MI. She was preceded in death by her second husband, Jerry Ericson.
Barbara Ericson is survived by her son David Stringer and his wife Dearbhla Kelly, residents of Los Angeles, CA and Dun Laoghaire, Ireland; her daughter Susan Flanner of Wauwatosa, WI; and son Thomas Stringer and his husband Scott Waller of Chicago, IL. She is also survived by four grandchildren, Andrea Friar of St. Petersburg, FL, Allison Roberts of Geelong, VIC, Australia, Madeleine Flanner and Colin Flanner, both of Milwaukee, WI. Her two great-grandchildren, Charli and Shelby Roberts live in Geelong, Australia. Her brother, Robert C. (Bud) Ingmand and his wife Sharlene (Cuda) Ingmand of Ashland, OH also survive her, along with her nieces Karen Geiser of Holland, OH and Ellen Perez of Rocky River, OH.
Barbara's family is grateful to the staff of Sunrise of Lincoln Park in Chicago, IL for their attentive and compassionate care in her final years. The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations in her memory be directed to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America https://alzfdn.org. We will never stop missing her. We will forever be inspired by the spirit of her life and the joy she gave, and be grateful for her love.
Services were private.