Barbara Eleanor Foor

Barbara Eleanor Foor (Pataky) died peacefully in her home on August 18, 2026. She was born on January 3, 1939, to William and Eleanor Pataky (Deno) in Alger, MI. She graduated from Sterling High School and married Doyle LaVern Foor on September 8, 1956. They moved to in 1959 and lived there until Doyle retired from Dow Chemical in Midland in 1985 as a Journeyman Pipefitter.

Barb and Doyle raised three children on their 40-acre farm, Gwen (69), Garold (67) and Darrell (65). Doyle worked a lot of overtime and Barb baked bread, cookies, cinnamon rolls, and wonderful Birthday Cakes while Doyle churned the Homemade Ice Cream. They had a huge garden and canned everything until they got their first upright freezer, which they filled with peas, corn, venison, and berries galore! Barb LOVED berry picking of any kind and was a whiz at making jam and pies. She loved cooking delicious meals for her family and friends.

Once the kids were in school, Barb took up the call to be of service and went door-to-door for the American Cancer Society, became active in school activities and the Mt Forest PTA, and joined Bentley United Methodist Church. When Barb was not busy helping neighbors, she and Doyle were most likely planning the family’s next camping trip. Every Labor Day they would pack the car with kids, a tent, sleeping bags, fishing gear, and enough food for an army and head for the U.P.! They would be at the Mackinaw Bridge for breakfast and by lunchtime were south of Grand Marais off the beaten path camped along the Sucker River where Doyle would fish and Barb would pick berries with the kids, blueberries that cascaded over the sandy riverbanks, eventually ending up in pancakes, muffins, and pies!

Barb loved family and would drive the kids to deer camp to visit with all the uncles, Grandparents, and cousins, or to West Branch, Grandma’s, and Minnesota to visit more cousins! She kept us all connected and even in her late 80s was still an avid Birthday card corresponder, rarely missing anyone.

In 1969, Barb became the Secretary at Mt Forest Elementary School, a position she held for 25 years. The friends she made there are still friends today and she has helped organize a reunion of Mt Forest staff every year since. In 1980, she and Doyle were driving around in the woods near Manistique, when they chanced upon a red A-frame house on Thunder Lake Road that was up for sale. It had been their dream to retire in the U.P., so they bought it, spent the next 5 years “fixing it up” and moved in permanently when Doyle retired in 1985. They were members of Manistique United Methodist Church for many years, making friends and pasties along the way. Later, they attended Cooks Congregational Church to be closer to home and Barb has been an integral part of the Women’s Fellowship there, spearheading the Christmas Shoebox Program and working tirelessly cooking and baking for the Strawberry Festival, memorials and other fundraisers in the Cooks Community. Barb also loved planting flowers on her deck, watching the birds, feeding the hummers, crafting, fishing, and spending lots of time with family, her grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

She leaves behind her three children, Gwen Foor, Garold Foor (Barbara) and Darrell Foor (Brenda), her sister, Norma Jean Wymore (Frank), Sisters-in-Law Betty Orr, Florence Polmanteer (Ron), Gail Garza (Jesse), Nancy Rajewski (Al), Brother-in-Law Mike Foor (Lila), 4 Grandchildren and 10 Great Grandchildren and a slew of beloved nieces and nephews. Preceding her in death are her husband, Doyle LaVern Foor, brothers Bill, Ralph and Richard Pataky, sister Shirley Fitzpatrick, sister-in-law June Pataky, brothers-in-law Robert Foor (Gerry) and Jake Foor (Nancy).

In lieu of flowers, Barb requested that donations be made to Samaritan’s Purse and/or Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital HomeCare & Hospice.

A Celebration of Life will take place at her home on Sunday, September 20 at 1:00 pm

Fausett Family Funeral Homes is assisting the family with arrangements.