Barbara Louise Lagomarsino
June 18, 1932 — April 8, 2018
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Past Services
Rosary Vigil Service
Memorial Mass
Barbara Louise Lagomarsino
Born on June 18, 1932, in Sacramento, Barbara lived most of her 85 years in Sacramento, with stops along the way in Palo Alto, Oakland, Baltimore, Eksjo (Sweden), Washington DC, and San Francisco (twice). She died peacefully at her home on April 8, 2018, surrounded by her family. Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, Walt Wassum and Margaret Enright Wassum, both of whom came from pioneering California families. After a brief stay in Hangtown (Placerville), her paternal great- grandfather settled in Napa County in the early 1850s, eventually owning a 320-acre ranch in the Berryessa Valley, where her father was raised. Her maternal great- grand father purchased a 700-acre ranch in Santa Clara County in 1847 before launching a successful career in varied businesses (including successful mining along the American River near Folsom in 1848). Barbara is survived by her husband of almost 65 years, Bart; sisters Margaret "Sis" Driemeyer and Joan "Johnny" Teale; brother-in-law Jerry Lagomarsino (Mary Caye); sons Richard (Sally), Ken, Mark, and Bob (Lizz); beloved grandchildren Joe, Mike, Laura (Daniel), Brian, John, and Chris; and several nieces and nephews. Barbara attended Marshall and Crocker elementary schools, California Junior High, and McClatchy High. Following in her parents' footsteps, she graduated from Stanford University in 1953, one day after turning 21 and one day prior getting married. She began her teaching career at Alethea B Smythe Elementary School in North Sacramento before she and Bart started their family. Over the next four-and-a-half years, Barbara gave birth to four boys, establishing the family foundation that she so cherished and protected with all her heart. Once her sons were all in school, Barbara continued her teaching career, this time at Pony Express Elementary School in South Land Park. Concurrent with her teaching career, she pursued graduate studies in social science at Sacramento State. Her 1969 master's thesis proved to be the seminal treatise on the raising of the streets in Downtown Sacramento in the early 1860s to protect the city from flooding. It remains the authoritative source on the subject and continues to be cited frequently in history publications and environmental reports. After several years at Pony Express, she transferred to Sutterville Elementary school where she taught in the GATE Program. There she tapped into her knowledge of and interest in history to guide her students through several rewarding special projects. These included publications on oral history and the historic architecture of Downtown and Midtown Sacramento. For the latter project, her students received statewide recognition and achieved much acclaim in local professional and journalistic circles. After retiring from teaching in the early 1980s, Barbara operated a successful financial planning business in Sacramento before moving to Washington DC, where Bart had accepted a position as the Deputy Director of the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS). While living in Georgetown, in between international trips with Bart, she worked at the Smithsonian Institution and entertained frequent visitors from the West Coast, most importantly the grandchildren who were the light of her life. She and Bart then retired to California, where they continued to travel extensively, including several European trips with their grandchildren. In her spare time, Barbara dedicated herself to serving the Sacramento community as a charter member of the Sacramento Museum and History Commission, the City Preservation Board, and the City of Sacramento Design Review Commission. On top of that, she pursued personal passions for gardening, painting, stained glass art, photography, genealogy, music, international travel, and foreign languages. She was also an avid reader whose persistent intellectual curiosity continually challenged and enriched the lives of those she touched in her long, rewarding life. The world is a better place because of Barbara, and we will all miss her dearly. A vigil honoring Barbara will be held at 5:00 pm on Sunday, April 15, 2018, at W.F. Gormley & Sons at 2015 Capitol Avenue in Sacramento. A funeral mass will be held the following day, Monday, April 16, 2018, at 11:00 am at Saint Anthony Parish at 660 Florin Road in Sacramento. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to causes that support food services for the elderly.
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Past Services
Rosary Vigil Service
Sunday, April 15, 2018
Starts at 5:00 pm (Pacific time)
W.F. Gormley & Sons Chapel
Memorial Mass
Monday, April 16, 2018
Starts at 11:00 am (Pacific time)
St. Anthony Church
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