Barbara (Berber) Roos Brennan

Barbara Roos Brennan was a beauty queen from Enid, Ok. The only child of Chanc T. and Mary Evelyn Roos. She was born in 1936 to Dust Bowl survivors who endured through grit and sheer determination. Mary and Chanc were slightly older when they had their beloved "Babs" and were intent on providing her with the best life they could.

Growing up in Enid Barbara Jane had an idyllic life, surrounded by 36 first cousins and many beloved dogs, including Jimny Cricket, Bootsie, and Killer. She loved football and was frequently in attendance, with her father, at the local high school and college games. She won many beauty pageants, most notably, being awarded with the title "Rattlesnake Queen of Okeene, OK." Pictures, trophies, and newspaper memorabilia will be available for viewing at the services. As a young girl, she dreamed of becoming a journalist and attended the University of Oklahoma to pursue a journalism degree. Boomer Sooner! Barbara charmed many young men with her, petite figure, beautiful smile and striking blue eyes. She left college for a brief time to live in San Francisco with two Okie girlfriends and worked for the Container Corporation of America. Her boss, and the owner of the company, thought she'd be a wonderful girlfriend for his son and arranged a casual meet and greet. An aspiring actor, the son invited her for a date after they met at a company picnic. Fortunately for her future children, Clint Eastwood did not pursue the relationship.

Upon returning to Oklahoma and her college degree, Barbara's mother set her up on another blind date. While dancing at the Vance Air Force Base with a man she described as Icabod Crane, she glimpsed a handsome young Air Force Captain with a Notre Dame emblem on his pocket. Ever the vivacious conversationalist, and a Catholic in the Bible Belt, Barbara introduced herself as a fellow Roman Catholic. Donald Brennan was charmed and asked for a dance. Soon after, he left to return to the Officers' Quarters and got in bed for the night. After some reflection, he got back up, got dressed again and went back to ask the "5'2, Eyes of Blue" beauty to Mass the next morning. For her part, Barbara set Icabod up with a fellow Chi Omega sorority sister and they were married for many years.

One Mass turned into a romance and Don and "BJ" as he called her, were married a short time later. Thus began their married life in Mountain Home, Idaho where Don was a pilot for the Strategic Air Command. Not content staying at home without earning her keep, Barbara turned their spare bedroom into an art studio where she taught art classes to Air Force enlisted and re-sold art supplies, she had travelled to Boise to pick up. Thus began the start of a small business entrepreneur. Their first Christmas together a pregnant BJ was gifted with two puppies, Satch and Gus. Their first two children were born in Idaho.

Upon his exit from the Air Force, Don accepted a position with NM Senator Clinton P. Anderson in Washington, DC. BJ, Don, two kids, with a 3rd on the way traveled across country with two dogs in tow to relocate to a VA suburb of DC. They spent ten years there and had three more children. The birth of their 3rd child, Joseph Michael, was a pivotal point in their relationship and the inspirational person our mother was to become. Joey was born, severely disabled with a cognitive condition called Hydrocephalus. Young Joe never walked or talked, he was blind by the time he was three and his short life ended days before his 7th birthday. Never willing to be defined by circumstances of adversity, BJ took on the mantle of raising a special needs child with determination. She initially started a summer school program for severely disabled kids to attend. Jr. High students were recruited to volunteer watching the kids. This school eventually received funding from the city, Fairfax County and the Federal Government.

After Joey's death, Don left his work for the US Senate and returned to his hometown of Albuquerque, NM. With a loaded station wagon, the now family of six plus a dog, moved to the Altura Park area in 1970. Soon, two more dogs joined the family. BJ loved dogs and was never without one in her life.

She made marvelous Chile Rellenos, an authentic Irish Stew and toted kids to swim meets, little league and football practice along with track, band and the occasional theatre class. In her spare time :), she volunteered in the preschool at the Rehabilitation Center, a social service organization assisting children with differing abilities. She was known for introducing herself to strangers, parents with special needs kids, and offering to babysit to just give mom a little break. Many mothers said yes, without hesitation. The Rehab Center quickly recognized an organized and passionate advocate and put her on the payroll. She was tasked with managing a small writing instrument project which would create employment opportunities for special needs adults. The operation proved successful, and Barb and Don purchased the business in 1988. Stride, Inc. has been providing employment to adults with disabilities ever since with hundreds more moving on to other work opportunities in the community. Roughly two months after the purchase, Don died at the age of 55. During that time, her first Grandchild, Sean, renamed her Berber, the name most know her of today. Her business and her young grandchildren became everything. 16 more dogs joined the family over different periods of times, Lollypop, Tanni, Sassy, Beau Deau, Mr. Jones, Oscar the Grouch, Katie, Lady, Inca, Apache, Harley, Classy, Jax, Toby, Garth, and Roscoe.

Among her many business accomplishments, the one she told us made her the proudest was being the first company in the world certified to sell a rollerball pen to the federal government. She received several multi-million-dollar contracts and, at one point, had a crew of more than 30 special needs workers. It wasn't the money, she loved beating the "big guys," Faber Castell, Bic, Sharpie. Three of her four living children joined her in the family business over the years.

Barbara served numerous charitable organizations throughout her life. She and Don walked alongside Brother Mathias Barrett and the Brothers of the Good Shepherd to start Barrett House, a homeless shelter for women and their children as well as Presentation House for older women who were homeless. She chaired the annual St Patrick's Day Dinner for many years to provide services for homeless men. She was active with her Parish, Aquinas Newman Center and was proud to be added as one of the first female members of the Rotary Club of Albuquerque. The many national and international awards she won for her service to the disabled community are too numerous to mention.

Barbara's remarkable life began a slow decline and transition and ended after a 16-year dementia diagnosis. She was lovingly cared for in her home for the last nine years by grandsons, Joey Bertram and Riley Brennan as well as daughter, Kerry and her husband, Jim. Our gratitude goes out to long-time caretaker, friend, neighbor, and "adopted daughter," Jennifer Takahashi and Shannyn Vaughn her extraordinary Hospice nurse and friend.

We would like to thank the wonderful care team at Presbyterian Hospice. With the loving support of her family, Jennifer and the people of Presbyterian, Berb lived in her home with her many dogs and her wonderful view of the Sandia Mountains.

Barbara died on November 9th, 2024, at the age of 88. She was preceded in death by her husband, Don; her son, Joey; and her parents, Chanc and Mary. Surviving are her children, Bridget Richards (Scott) and daughters, Veronica and Bernadette; son, Brian (Nancy Webb) and his children, Sean, Caitlin, Calli, and Cameron; Another daughter, Kerry Bertram (Jim) and sons, Joseph, Benjamin and Mathias; and son, Patrick (Shannon) rounded out the family with children, Riley, Casey, Conor, and Bailey. She is survived by 16 great-grandchildren courtesy of Brian's offspring and one to be, another Bertram boy. Also surviving her are her dogs Roscoe and her other dog Roscoe (AKA Garth who loved her even when she couldn't remember his name).

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation to the non-profit established to carry on her life-long mission of special needs employment, www.peterspaycheck.org.

Services will be held at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, 4020 Lomas Blvd. NE, on Monday, November 25th. We will have a Rosary at 10:00 a.m., followed by the Eulogy at 10:30 a.m. Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. Barbara will be interred at Gate of Heaven, next to our father, immediately following the Mass. A reception will be held at OLF Gallager Hall from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please feel free to come to the family home after 4:00 p.m. if you would like the wake to continue. Music by many of the talented Brennan family will be included.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons: Sean, Cameron, Joey, Ben, Riley, Mathias, and Conor.