Barbara Elizabeth Kenemuth

Barbara Elizabeth Kenemuth, 85, a longtime resident of Albuquerque, NM, died at home surrounded by her loving family on Monday, July 22, 2019 after a three-month struggle with lung cancer.  She is survived by her four children; James Kenemuth and wife, Chris Chin of Palo Alto, CA, Sarah Kenemuth of Cambridge, MA, Paul Kenemuth and wife, Christina Mouton-Kenemuth of Fort Collins, CO, and Ruth Kenemuth of Fremont, CA; three grandchildren, Gabrielle Mouton-Kenemuth of Los Angeles, CA, David Kenemuth and Meghan Kenemuth of Fort Collins, CO, and her sister, Marjorie Scharf Lorenz and husband, John Lorenz of Chestertown, MD.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John Randall Kenemuth (Albuquerque, NM, 2010); and parents, James M. and Harriet E. Black Scharf of Sunbury, PA. Barbara Kenemuth was born on March 6, 1934 in Sunbury, PA.  She attended Pennsylvania State University, where in 1957 she obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Home Economics.  She briefly taught Home Economics before starting her own family.

After losing her own mother at age 5 she said that her life’s dream was to be a mother.  She lived this dream to the fullest.  As a full-time homemaker, she supported the many needs of her Physicist husband and their four children with patience, tenderness, devotion and humor.  She loved to collect and experiment with recipes, and she took special pleasure in baking and decorating custom cakes for special family occasions.  She was curious and creative, and she encouraged and supported her children’s participation in many local activities including the Albuquerque Youth Symphony, Albuquerque Youth Soccer Organization, Albuquerque Figure Skating Club and the New Mexico Ballet Company.  After her children had left the nest, she and her husband relocated to Maui, HI.  There she enjoyed learning about indigenous Hawaiian arts and culture and even learned to craft ornate feather leis.  After retirement, their shared love for the Southwest brought them back to Albuquerque, NM.

She loved flowers and gardening—orchids in particular—and in retirement she grew a collection of over 50 orchids as a member of the Albuquerque Orchid Guild.  She loved the sounds of birds in her garden and was emphatic about making sure there was always water in the bird baths and food in the bird feeders. She shared with her husband an appreciation for art and loved to attend local art fairs. She was an avid follower of national politics, and in the final years of her life she became a passionate supporter of a variety of organizations dedicated to nature and charitable social causes.  As a mother, she gifted her children the love and support to leave the nest and fly.  With sadness yet immense love and appreciation, her family now bids her a tender farewell on her final flight.

Visitations will be held on Saturday, July 27, 2019 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at French Funerals, 7121 Wyoming Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM and on Wednesday, July 31, 2019 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the William N. Rupert Mortuary, 430 Mendenhall Ave, Knox, PA.  A private memorial gathering and interment will follow at the Trinity Evangelical Congregational Church Cemetery in Fern, PA.  Should friends desire, contributions may be made in her name to a humanitarian charity of their choice.