Obituary of Barbara J. Mode

          Barbara Mode, of Falls Church, VA, met death Dec. 6, 2023, leaving behind her intrepid companion, husband Arthur, her treasured daughter Jaineen (from her first marriage), her thoughtful sister Beth, aspiring grandchild Max, and her dear in-laws Bob, Carol, Karl, Stuart, and Diana.

          At 10, when she first realized what reading could lead to, Barbara seriously applied herself to school, bringing her grades up to all “A”s in high school, and years later at night school while working full-time to earn her Bachelor of Science at age 59, and Master of Science at age 63. (Her lifelong reading allowed her to test out one year.)

          Her first goal was to be an adult, so at 17 she left home for the nearest city to find a job and independence. She worked in many careers until founding her own company, doing phototypesetting. Twenty years later, when computers began taking over, she went to school at night to learn about them. Then, she worked as an IT Specialist until she retired at 73.

          As an adult, Barbara discovered her inspiration in Ayn Rand, who defined what a hero should be. Thereafter, she was grateful to have lived in the same century as this ground-breaking philosopher of reason and reality.

          Her travels began at 33, enhanced later when she met Arthur, a great planner. They sought out masterpieces of art, architecture, history, and grand scenery. While working full-time, they visited over 44 countries in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and South America. She drove while he navigated.

          After retirement, she began a part-time job, and planned to travel in the U.S. Unfortunately, cancer intervened. After several setbacks, she was still hoping to see all 50 states, when the end came.

          A memorial service will be held later. Memorial contributions may be made to Anthem Foundation, 6 Hutton Centre Drive, Suite 600, Santa Ana, CA  92707 (they provide academic grants for scholarly work on Ayn Rand's philosophy).