Barbara Jean Davis was born in Minneapolis, Minn., on Feb. 15, 1926. She was the only child of Howard W. Davis, born Edina, Miss., and Jessie Murray, born Duone, Scotland. She moved with her parents to the Seattle area for war work in 1942 where her father went into metal salvage for Boeing, and her mother, who had been trained by the original Kodak School in photo finishing, could find work anywhere and did so.
Barbara attended Foster High School 1942-44, graduating in 1944, where she dated her future husband, also a Foster grad 1944. She attended the University of Washington for one year then worked in the office of a laundry service. She boarded and roomed with her future husbands' mother while he was overseas and adopted his siblings as her own. A year after his return from the service she married Alan L. W. Gunsul and was very helpful in realizing his dream of becoming a doctor. She worked at Boeing in blueprints when she was not pregnant with children, having four children during the school years. Also she became co-guardians of her husband's younger two siblings when her mother-in-law suddenly died of breast cancer. Later she had a fifth child.
Upon returning to Southwest King County she became very active in the community and school affairs. She was an avid supporter of the arts and a founding member of Normandy Park Congregational Church. She was a member of a Ruth School Guild and later on the Board of Trustees, the Seattle Opera Guild and Burien Arts Festival committees, a charter supporter of Seattle Repertory Theatre and an early supporter of Seattle ACT, and a 20-year supporter of Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Ore.
She also enjoyed spectator sports, 20 years a Tyee Club member at the U of W, attended Summer Olympics games from 1968 through 2004 except for Moscow 1980 ("Carter's Folly"). With an interest in Track and Field, she also attended two world Track and Field Championships in Rome and Edmonton, Alberta. She was a charter subscriber and 20-year follower of the Seattle Seahawks. She was an avid and very capable sailor, enjoying sailing in the Puget Sound, San Juans, and Canadian waters.
Her father, a World War I veteran of France (twice gassed), died April 1, 1950. Her mother died Dec. 21, 1988, after a long active life as a wonderful "Granner" to her grandchildren. Barbara is survived by her husband, Dr. Alan L.W. Gunsul; five children, Magen (Nick), Alan (Gina), Moira, Maude and Ian; six grandchildren, Kelly (Marc), Leigh (Joe), Cory, Riley, Ethan and Erin; five great-grandchildren, Anna, Nicolas, Alexander, Alyssa, and Ryan; four step-grandchildren, Kathryn, Sharon (Bill), Brian (Ashley), Don (Becky); and ten step-great-grandchildren, Kyndall, Jay, Wyatt, Clayton, Samantha, Brett, Madison, Sheridan, Darian and Dakota.
She lived in the same house for 48 years, having a full and active life. She loved to knit and to listen to music from swing and jazz to classical. She passed on many values to her family, friends, and colleagues.
The family will have a private celebration of her life. In lieu of flowers, remembrances are suggested to the Highline Medical Center Foundation, 12844 Military Rd. S., Tukwila, WA 98168. Please visit and sign Barbara's obituary and guest book online at www.Bonney-Watson.com. Arrangements entrusted to Bonney-Watson Parker Chapel.
