Barbara Dawn Essig (nee Border)

Barbara Dawn Essig (née Border)

1957 – 2025

So beautiful and kind, Barbara lived a good life, helping her family do the same while loving them unconditionally. She was proud and supportive of her children, teaching them at an early age to appreciate the value of learning, responsibility and hard work. She never tired of making trips to the library for her young avid reader Caitlin or answering many questions of “why” or “what’s that” of inquisitive toddler Daniel. She admired their maps of the area drawn on the driveway and patiently listened to the related imaginative details of them telling a story. She cherished her stay at home time with them and made the most of it. She was so very proud when they excelled in school and activities when they were often awarded with honors throughout their formal education. She beamed with pride when they earned college degrees and excelled in their professions. She helped them relocate many times as they found their homes and independence.

Barb was a top student and leader who loved shining when performing in high school musicals. She met her husband Richard by chance one Friday night before a football game when he helped her put up a spirit poster on the band bus. It was the luckiest day of his life, and they became high school sweethearts. She worked in retail to pay for college and graduated. After making bridesmaids dresses, they married young and were off on their honeymoon adventure down the East Coast to the Gulf with limited money, few plans and no reservations for one of their best trips ever. Their 50 years together lived for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health.

Her career resumed after staying home with her young children and she held key senior positions in Mortgage Finance, helping borrowers achieve the dream of home ownership while also helping associates with complex underwriting laws and regulations. She was always willing to share her expertise with kind professionalism and was honored as Associate of the Year in 2016 for a national mortgage lender. She worked hard to help provide a better future for her family and served a good home cooked meal most evenings after a full work day and long commute for years.

Diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2019, she viewed it not as being sick but “just having cancer,” accepting every exam, poke, test, surgery, procedure and treatment without complaining. She continued to work full-time until retiring in 2021. Her strength was inspirational as she continued exercising and walking on her treadmill daily for years. She enjoyed reading mystery novels and having a glass of wine before dinner. She would not give up household chores for a long time, showing her determination to remain strong.

Grateful for many blessings, she found that not every day was a good day but there was good in every day.

Barbara loved the beach and always managed to find a special shell or sand dollar to bring home. Favorite trips were to Hilton Head with family and to Marco Island and Kaanapali Beach with Rick. She was an excellent cook, baker, seamstress, canner, rug maker and gardener. She learned many skills as a child on summer stays with her loving grandparents. Her pumpkin rolls and chocolate chip cookies were often called the “best ever.”

Barb and family were so thankful for primary care provided by Mark A. Smith M.D., our family’s friend who was always available to help, advise, refer and expertly treat complications quickly. There are no words to thank him enough. His referral for best available treatment by expert Margaret Gatti-Mays M.D., at The Stefanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center also helped Barb live her best life and her care team was so very kind and caring.

Barbara’s love will live on with her husband, Richard; son, Daniel Warren and Sarah, daughter, Caitlin Rebecca and husband, Matt, and Coco, who Barb rescued because she was so frightened and alone at the shelter. 

 Preceded to afterlife by parents Marla and Jack Border, Evangeline “Grandmama” and Donald J. Essig, sister in-law Rebecca Souders, grandparents Dorothy and Ken Powers, Ermyl and Dan Border, furry kids Shotsie, Olivia and Ginger. She is also survived by sisters, Nancy (Mike) Schafer, Kathy (Hal) Clossman, Denise Reitz, sister in-law, Jo (Dan) Marksz and brother in-law, Bob Souders.

In lieu of flowers, please send remembrance donations to: Stefanie Spielman Fund for Patient Assistance, The Ohio State University Foundation, P.O. Box 710811, Columbus, OH. 43271-0811

Friends and family may call from 1-2 p.m. on SATURDAY, February 1st at the Billow FAIRLAWN Chapel 85 N. Miller Rd. Fairlawn, OH 44333 and join us in honoring Barbara’s life with a Service at 2 p.m.