Obituary: Kimsey, Barbara Patricia “Bobbee”
Age 87
She fought a courageous battle with dementia during the past few years of her life.
Bobbee was born on April 20, 1927 to John and Nina Frankovich.
Raised in Chewelah, WA, she moved to the “big city” of Spokane after graduating high school.
She attended secretarial school and worked for the US Government.
As a young girl with an intoxicating zest for life, Bobbee enjoyed driving her convertible and swimming with her friends in the many PNW lakes and rivers.
Always the “Bell of the Ball”, Bobbee loved to dance!
She enjoying crashing many private parties and unsuspecting wedding receptions, held at the original Davenport Hotel.
In 1955, when accepting a job assignment directed Bobbee to relocate to Tripoli, Libya with the Army Corps of Engineers, Bobbee’s long term beau, Wesley L. Kimsey asked for her hand in marriage.
She happily accepted and the couple were married on April 10, 1956.
They made their home in Long Beach, California.
The couple had three children, Ronald J. Kimsey, Patti A. Kimsey-Craner, both of Spokane, and Robert L. Kimsey of Las Vegas, Nevada.
The family lived in many National and International ports of call, where Bobbee continued to enrich her business education.
A devoted San Francisco 49er fan, Bobbee attended De Anza College in Cupertino, CA, studying the Art of Professional Football.
Bobbee also enjoyed the game of golf.
While living in the historical village of Litchfield, Connecticut, and the family residing in the birthplace of Harriet Beecher Stowe in the late 1960’s, on her Husband’s golfing day, Bobbee invited the spouses of her Husbands golf buddies to their home for afternoon cocktails.
Always the instigator, Bobbee suggested the women dress in disguise as “flower children” and move their party to the private golf clubhouse!
Rumor has it; the National Guard was called in to eradicate the non-conformists!!
Bobbee loved to travel abroad!
Making their home in Tehran, Iran during peaceful times provided the family an opportunity to travel throughout Europe and Russia.
This also included visiting at the homes and relatives of her parents in the former Yugoslavia.
Upon returning to the United States, she happily divorced her husband of twenty years and began a new chapter in her life.
Bobbee returned to the San Francisco Bay area in California and worked for Lockheed Martin in the Budget and Forecast Department until her retirement in 1992.
Retirement life included dating Don #1, Don #2 and Don #3.
Shopping in every Fine Women’s apparel store in San Francisco and the Peninsula, she maintained a very classy, elegant, youthful appearance!
Unable to sit still, Bobbee accepted a position as a Project Coordinator at the San Jose State University, offering grants and other needed funds to underprivileged students seeking financial aid.
She retired a second time in the year of 2001, following her son, RJ to Las Vegas, NV, where she resided for twelve years in the Summerlin Area.
She made many new friends and enjoyed the active lifestyle Las Vegas is famous for: warm weather, live entertainment, shows, plays, fine dining and what Bobbee referred to as the “One Arm Bandits”!
She returned to Spokane, July of 2013.
Bobbee was preceded in death by her parents; former husband; and sisters, Angelina, Bernadine, Elsie and Gerrydine.
She is survived by her children: Ronald (RJ) Kimsey, Patti Kimsey-Craner, Robert L. Kimsey; four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
She will be privately interred.
The Shadow of her smile, the funny bone in her wit, her gracious dignity and soulful joy of living, will sadly be missed by all who knew and loved Bobbee.
Forever in our thoughts, we will be with you again someday, Mom!
Until then, have a bottle of Pinot Grigio on ice waiting for us until the day we can share a toast to the after life…