Treasured mother, grandmother, sister and friend, Barbara Piazza Easton, died peacefully on Sept. 10, 2021.

Surrounded by her children, she was not in pain, nor was she afraid. She was 87.

She was a resident of Bowling Green, Ky., and former longtime resident of Chicago, Ill.; Warsaw; and Gallatin, Tenn.

She was born Dec. 29, 1933, in Chicago, Ill., to Philip Piazza, a railroad worker for the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company; and Grace Kayser Benzing, a homemaker.

Though she was small in stature, she was a woman of great faith with an enormous heart and an adventurous spirit. She loved a funny joke, a great book, good company and traveling to new places.

As a young woman in the 1950s, she went to work for the U.S. Department of State in Washington D.C. as a code clerk.
Her work with the U.S. Department of State took her to Brussels, Belgium, where she met and married her loving husband of 56 years, Dave.

The couple moved to Rabat, Morocco, and eventually back to the U.S. in 1966.

She stepped out of the working world to become the most amazing mom ever. She opened her door to all the neighborhood kids and provided a safe environment many called their second home. She was always generous with her time, love and praise. She influenced and inspired her children by example. She was thoughtful, humble and kind with her words, yet always strong and brave in her actions.

When she returned to the workforce in 1985, she loved helping young adults reach their educational goals in the Office of Student Services Testing Center at Volunteer State Community College in Gallatin, Tenn. She left the college in 1994 to move to San Juan del Rio, Mexico, where she taught English as a Second Language to native Spanish speakers.

In her retirement, she never slowed down. She traveled the world, visiting six continents with Dave or with her life-long friends Georgia and Mildred.

She snow-skied in the winter and regularly played golf or tennis the rest of the year. She enjoyed yoga and learned to line-dance. She was a talented quilter who sewed beautiful quilts to give away to family and friends.

She was active in numerous clubs in Bowling Green, including Community Greeters Newcomers Club, Creative Quilters of Southern Kentucky, Greeters Sew and Tell, and Literary Ladies Club. She was a member of The Bread of Angels Sunday School group at Christ Episcopal Church in Bowling Green.

She was deeply loved by all who knew her and will be terribly missed.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband: Dave; and sister: Joan.

She is survived by her three children: Cindy (Ed) Rhodes, Menomonie, Wis.; Elizabeth (Lukas) Forbes, Bowling Green, Ky.; David Easton II (Jennifer), Hendersonville, Tenn.; and sister: Phyllis Holtane, Yorkville, Ill. Her five grandchildren include Andrew Rhodes, Jacob and Elijah Easton, and Grace and Patrick Forbes.

Visitation will be held at Christ Episcopal Church, 1215 State St., Bowling Green, Ky. at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 23. A celebration of life service will follow at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in Barbara’s memory may be made to Meals on Wheels c/o Christ Episcopal Church, 1215 State St., Bowling Green, Ky., 42101.