Barbara Grace (Zaring) Paynter

Barbara Grace (Zaring) Paynter, mother and wife, passed away Saturday, October 25 at Presence Hospital in Urbana, Illinois at age 91.  She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years:  Julian Paynter.

She is survived by her five children:  Patty, Linda, Bill and twin daughters:  Barbara Jo and Julie Ann (named after Barbara and Julian, their parents). She is also survived by 8 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.   Barbara worked hard caring for children, her husband, and helping out in the family machine shop business.

Barbara was born in Salem, Indiana and lived there until she was 87 years old.  She surprised everyone when she moved to Champaign, Illinois to be close to her daughter, Barbara Jo.  The kind people of Champaign (especially her Greenwood Court neighbors) made this lifelong Hoosier feel welcome.

In her younger days Barbara loved going on motorcycle trips with her husband, Julian and son, Bill, and they had many wonderful trips together.  Barbara also enjoyed rose gardening, was an avid quilter and quietly rooted for her beloved Hoosier basketball team.  Barbara and her twin daughters, “The Three Muskeeters” would plan and enjoy adventures especially for the three of them, while the “boys” would attend motorcycle races.  To her last days, Barbara and “the twins” spent many happy hours playing their unique version of “Paynter Scrabble”, a sharing, less competitive version of the game that typified her caring and generous spirit.

She was also preceded in death by a sister:  Eloise Newby and her parents.

Graveside services will be held Thursday at 2:00PM at Crown Hill Cemetery.  Visitation will be Wednesday from 4-8PM at Weathers Funeral Home.