Late Friday afternoon, our CASA program received notice that one of our beloved advocates, Barbara Jones, passed away following her involvement in a serious car accident on the evening of Thursday, July 15th. We are devastated by the news and saddened to move forward at CASA without her.
Barbara became an advocate with our program in April of this year. She was a fierce advocate for the three children to which she was assigned, and was one of the most passionate, bold, and committed advocates we’ve seen in quite some time. She was new to our family here, but we knew she was meant to be a CASA from day one!
In her service as a CASA, she visited her children nearly every week. She was extremely intentional with the time she spent with them and with the activities she planned for their visits together. Aside from the children, Barbara was active with the parents in her case, too, checking in with them regularly to ensure they had the services they needed. She shared pictures between the parents and children to help keep them connected while they were apart and didn’t hold the parents’ history or issues against them. She really hoped for and believed in them with all her heart. In all she did, you could feel her love for connecting with people, helping them, and loving them.
Barbara is absolutely irreplaceable, and this loss is heartbreaking for us all. There are no words to express the weight we carry in our hearts as we mourn this loss and as we acknowledge the heartbreak her husband, family, and friends are experiencing in this difficult time.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested for those who feels led to offer an unannounced act of selfless kindness for someone in need (in true Barbara fashion) or for monetary donations to be made to CASA “where Barbara brought her bag of “happys” to the children there”.
Life is short for all of us, but is often cut far too short for some. In Barbara’s case, we are saddened for the years we wish we still had ahead, but are grateful for every single moment we got to spend with her here. Our time was short, but she was incredible and brought many smiles to us all!
Please be in prayer for her family and friends and for the three precious CASA children that knew her love deeply in her time with them.
(photo: Barbara pictured (right) with CASA Training Coordinator Janet Davidson at Barbara’s April Graduation Ceremony)
