Barbara J. (Engler) Dudley

Barbara Jane Francis Dudley (nee Engler) passed away on January 8, 2023, in Chicago at age 86.  A long-time resident of South Bend, Indiana, Barb was the beloved wife of the late Vern, loving mother of Christine (Andy Raucci) Dudley, and devoted sister to Donna (Paul) Barulich and sister-in-law to Twyla (the late Gerald) Dudley.  She was the daughter of the late Ernest T. Engler and Evelyn “Fern” (nee Pearson) Engler.  Proud aunt of Michael (Cindy) Dudley, Sara (Patrick Myers) Barulich, and Michael (Anna Cheng) Barulich.  Great aunt to Austen (Briana) Dudley, and April (Joel Spooner) Dudley.  And she delighted in being a great- great aunt to Alice Olivia Myers, Giovanni, Cameron, Jentzen, and Laiken Rae Dudley, and Lillian Jean Spooner. 

Born in Oakland, California on October 2, 1936, Barb attended Saint Elizabeth Catholic Grade and High School, where she developed her lifelong love for theatre and music.  Moving with her family to Sturgis, Michigan after graduation, she took a job at Transogram Toy Company, where her coworker (and future sister-in-law Twyla) set her up on a blind date with the man who would become the love of her life, a farmer and Army Veteran who had just returned from his tour of duty in Germany -- Vern Dudley.  The two were married one year later, on December 21, 1957, at Holy Angels Church in Sturgis, Michigan.

They began their life together in Muncie, Indiana, where Vern attended Ball State Teachers College (now BSU).  Their daughter Christine Terese was born in 1959.  After Vern’s graduation they moved to South Bend, Indiana, where Vern took a teaching position at Washington High School.  The Dudley’s became reliable volunteers in school, parish and community activities, and Barb was elected as president of the South Bend School Men’s Wives Club.   

Ever the devoted mom, Barb served as a Camp Fire Girls’ leader, room mother, and champion of any and all of Chris’s many activities.  To her Barb passed along a love of politics, musical theatre, and movies. The two enjoyed many hours together, viewing their way through the TCM (Turner Classic Movie) catalogue.

When Chris left for college in 1977, Barb re-entered the workforce as the secretary at Holy Family Elementary School.   Later she became a program coordinator at the Notre Dame Center for Liturgy, where she worked until her retirement in 1995. 

Barb’s creativity and attention to detail in design, decorating and entertaining were reflected in the warmth of her home and the many theme parties she threw for family and friends at Christmas and for other special occasions.  Her Halloween windows were legendary, delighting all the neighborhood trick-or-treaters.  The decorated gift packages she created were works of art and gifts unto themselves.

Barb and Vern spent their retirement years traveling, gardening, entertaining and enjoying the antics of their pet cats, Lucy, and Ethel.    Besides visiting Chris in Washington, D.C. or wherever her career found her, they made frequent trips to see Barb’s family in California for holidays and family celebrations, took road trips to Arizona and Florida in the winter, and frequently flew with friends to Germany to shop the Christkindlmarkets and visit historical sites.

After her beloved Vern passed away in 2019, Barb moved to Chicago to be closer to Chris and Andy.   While curating family photos, watching old movies, enjoying Andy’s cooking, and connecting on Facebook kept her busy, she missed and mourned Vern every day. 

Now they are together again, dancing the night away. 

The family would like to express their gratitude to the many health care professionals who took such good care of Barb in the last two years, especially the assisted living team at Brookdale Senior Living Lake Shore Drive.  

Visitation will be held from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. (Eastern) on Monday, January 16, 2023, at St. Joseph Funeral Home, 824 South Mayflower Road, South Bend, Indiana. 

A visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. (Eastern) on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at St. Joseph Funeral Home. A funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. (Eastern) on Tuesday, January 17, 2023, at Holy Family Church, 56405 Mayflower Road, South Bend, followed by burial at St. Joseph Cemetery, 24980 IN-2, South Bend, Indiana. 

In lieu of flowers, a contribution in Barb’s name may be made to:

            Center for the Homeless

            https://www.cfh.net/donate

            813 S. Michigan Street

            South Bend, IN 46601

or

            Humane Society of St. Joseph County

            https://humanesocietystjc.org/give-back/donate/

            2506 Grape Rd.  Mishawaka, IN 46545

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