Barbara Vandraus

It is with great regret and sadness that our family announces the passing of our Matriarch, Barbara Ann Vandraus, on Thursday, July 19, 2018, at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Barbara was born in Queen Anne’s, Maryland to the late George and Mary Lee on May 19, 1941.

Barbara became an ordained minister at Highway Christian Church and counseled many women in need. In Barbara's earlier years, she worked alongside her sister, Mary, as a cook in Little Italy that led to her passion for providing delicious meals to her family and anyone in need. She became a homemaker raising her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and several other kids in the Oliver community. Surrounding herself with children nourished Barbara's heart. Her hobbies included baking, sewing, reading and being a community counselor. She stated multiple times “Give me my roses while I’m living and don’t weep for me when I leave this Earth”. Barbara will truly be missed as the pillar of our family. She will be forever remembered by the lasting impressions she had on those that was blessed with her wisdom.

Barbara was a widow, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and surrogate mother to many in the Baltimore area. She has been called home to join her late husband, Willie Vandraus, her deceased children Rachel, Gary, and Cynthia alongside her late step children Willie Mae, and Carl Vandraus.  Barbara leaves her surviving children Elaine, Joyee, Bernice and her two siblings. She also leaves her grandchildren Adam, Tavon, Sheronica, Lamont, Lewis, Danielle, Jamal, Crystal, David, Dashawn and a host of several other grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.