Barbara Jean Shields Cunninghman Byrum December 1, 1937- September 22, 2018 Barbara Jean Shields Cunningham Byrum, age 80, residing in South Bend, IN and Diamond Lake, MI passed away at 7:35 a.m. Saturday, September 22, 2018 at Memorial Hospital of South Bend. She was born in South Bend on December 1, 1937, the only daughter of Kathryn L. & William S. Shields. She graduated from Mishawaka High School in 1956, and from Indiana University, Bloomington, in 1961 with a Bachelor of Musical Education Degree.
She received her Masters in Arts and Letters from Valparaiso University in 1986 She is survived by her three daughters, Debbie Niksch of Gary, IN; Leslie (Rene’) Trischler of Dover, MD; and Cathleen (Shaun) Busick of Zionsville, IN; seven grandchildren, William Trischler and John Trischler both of Dallas TX; Sam Trischler of upstate New York; Benjamin Niksch of Gary, IN; Drew Busick of Zionsville, IN; Kathryn Niksch of Munster, IN; and Kimberly Niksch of Gary, IN; and great-granddaughter Avery Trischler. Also surviving are Aunt Eleanor Mamerow Heck, Barbara (Ron) Gracin; Neill (Linda Byrum); grandchildren, Scott Gracin, Kelly (Tim) Dilbeck, Deborah Gracin, Laurie Byrum, Jeremy (Katie) Byrum; and two great-grandchildren, Lindsey Dilbeck, Keller and Hadley Byrum. She was preceded in death by her husbands, John C. Cunningham and Parks Byrum, her parents, William S. & Kathryn L. Shields.
Barbara’s music career started when she was 10 years old when her mother received a piano for Mother’s Day. They lived on Studebaker Street, across from Mishawaka High School, and she would walk across the street to take organ lessons. Besides playing the piano and organ, she was on the year book staff.
Her summers were spent at Diamond Lake where she still owns a cottage. The happiest times of her life were spending time with her family and friends at the lake cottage, when her girls were growing up, and being with her grandchildren. While a student at Indiana University in Bloomington, she married John C. Cunningham.
After graduation they moved to Gary, IN, where she was organist at Eastside Presbyterian Church, and at Evangelical Covenant Church in Portage, IN. She taught piano lessons and at one time she owned and operated Cunningham Music Store in Portage, IN. She felt a calling to prepare younger people for Christian Music Ministry.
Several years after her first marriage ended she married Parks Byrum, a widower. Soon after their marriage, they moved to The Sanctuary at St. Pauls’ in South Bend where her parents were residing. Her past and present memberships include: Society of American Musicians, National Piano Foundation, NW Indiana Music and Arts, National Guild of Piano Teachers (faculty), NW Indiana, and South Bend Music Teachers, Indiana Teachers Association, Music Teachers’ National Association, (National Certified Teachers of Piano), Stickley Scholarship Trust, Fiichoff National Chamber Music, and Memorial Health Foundation.
Also 1st Brethren Church of South Bend, Eastside Presbyterian, Gary; Evangelical Covenant Church of Portage, IN; and Evangelical Covenant Church of South Bend, and more recently Grace United Methodist Church of South Bend. Memorial services will be at 11:00 a.m. Monday, October 15, 2018 in the Chapel of the Sanctuary of St. Paul’s, 3602 South Ironwood Drive, South Bend. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.
Memorial contributions may be made to: Memorial Health Foundation, Children’s Hospital, 615 North Michigan St, South Bend, IN 46601; IUSB School of Health Sciences, Bill & Katie Shields ScholarshipsP.O. Box 7111, South Bend, IN 46634-7111;; Grace United Methodist Church, 3012 So. Twyckenham Drive, South Bend, IN 46614; or to E. Hartman Stickley Scholarship Trust, First Source Trust Department, P.O. Box 1602, South Bend, IN 46634. Arrangements for the Byrum family are under the care and direction of the Palmer Funeral Homes-Guisinger Chapel, 3718 So.
Michigan St., South Bend, IN 46614. Online condolences to the family may be sent to www. palmerfuneralhomes.com Donations may be made to: Memorial Health Foundation, Children’s Hospital 615 N. Michigan Street, South Bend IN 46601 IUSB College of Health Sciences, Shields Scholarships Box 7111, South Bend IN 46634-7111 Web: www.
scholarshiplibrary.com/wiki/William_S. _%26_Kathryn_L. _Shields_Distinguished_Nursing_Schol Grace United Methodist Church 3012 S. Twyckenham Drive, South Bend IN 46614 Tel: 1-574-288-4789 Email: grace@gracemethodist.org Web: www.
gracemethodist.org/ E. Hartman Stickley Scholarship Trust First Source Trust Dept.
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