On September 18, 2023, Barbara Ann Sandlin (née Brown) passed away in Lakewood, CO. Barbara was born November 10, 1965, in Cherry Point, NC, to John and Rae Brown. As the daughter of a US Marine, Barbara spent the beginning of her life around the country, residing in California, Alabama, Florida, and Tennessee during her early years. Barbara’s love of adventure persisted throughout her life, leading her to travel the world, to move from Tennessee to Colorado after sending her daughter to college, and to dream of retiring to her beloved Alaska.

Barbara’s life was marked by curiosity, compassion, and resiliency that inspired her to help others professionally—especially children and first-generation college students. She was the first in her family to attend college, graduating from Christian Brothers University at age 33. Following fulfilling work experience in human resources, Barbara enrolled in the University of Memphis to pursue a Master of Arts in Teaching – Instruction, Curriculum & Leadership, which she completed while raising her young child. She then worked for fourteen years as an assistant professor in social and behavioral sciences and education program coordinator at Southwest Tennessee Community College before moving to Colorado and becoming a COSI success coach and team lead for Pikes Peak State College.

Barbara was never short of hobbies; her family and friends describe her as an energetic, creative person who could easily as likely be found working in the garden, practicing at the piano, playing with her dog, or crafting with scrapbooking supplies and beads. Over the years, she opened her home to seven foreign exchange students from three countries; actively participated in her church, particularly in ministries that cared for children and sought to address food insecurity; and lovingly navigated the challenge of parenting as a single mom with a driven, creative child.

In heaven, Barbara joins her beloved parents, John Herbert Brown and Rae Carol Hall Brown. She is survived by her daughter, Tara Grace Sandlin, of Syracuse, NY; brother, Charles Brown, of Memphis, TN; and numerous other extended family members and friends. Of these, her immediate family particularly wishes to thank Lisa Sayles, Jennifer Hall, Russ Fortson, and Cory Sayles for supporting Barbara through incredible health challenges in the last year of her life, allowing her to thrive as much as medically possible.

Due to the enormity of this loss after Barbara’s difficult final months, family and friends are currently mourning privately with the intention to commemorate Barbara’s life publicly at later dates. If you would like to contribute funds or meals to ease the burden on loved ones and/or to allow them to spread Barbara’s ashes in accordance with her wishes after future services, please reach out to Tara Sandlin or Lisa Sayles. If you would like to honor Barbara’s memory with a charitable contribution, the family recommends contributing to the Barbara K. Lipman Early Learning Research Center or to a reputable foundation addressing cancer research, such as the American Cancer Society.

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