Barbara Jeannette Burch Gillis, passed away at the age of 91 after a brief illness on August 2, 2022. A native Miamian, Barbara was the daughter of Ethel and Hugh Burch, who like so many of their fellow southerners, moved to Miami during the Florida land boom of the 1920s. She lived with her parents and younger brother Buddy at a house in what was then called Lemon City, now Little Haiti, and Barbara attended Miami Edison from grade through high school. She went to college at the newly renamed Florida State University, earning a degree in mathematics. There she met a young veteran and future husband, Ralph Gillis, of Lake City.

Barbara enjoyed a long career in her chosen discipline. Immediately after college, in 1952, she worked for the NACA, the predecessor to NASA, at Langley Field in Virginia. There her job was “computer” for an actual rocket scientist. After marriage in 1953, she became a high school math teacher spending thirty-two years at Miami Edison High School and Miami Norland High School in Miami Dade County and serving as department head at both schools.

She retired in 1987 and returned to work for a number of years as an assistant to the principal at Ruben Dario Middle School and Hialeah High, also in Dade. Barbara received many accolades as a teacher, including teacher of the year and Florida STAR (Student Teacher Achievement Recognition) Award winner. She was also a longtime active member of Delta Kappa Gamma, a women educator’s honor society. She served as chapter president and was recognized with the Sara B. Ferguson Award in 2006, Mu State’s highest honor. She wanted most to be remembered as a teacher, a mentor, to many generations of young minds. In her own words, she “pursued an ancient and proud profession transmitting the knowledge of a very special creation of mankind—mathematics.”

Barbara was a voracious reader, notorious for having her nose in a book whenever there were chores to be done as a youth. She loved mysteries and histories, a love she shared with her children and husband. The family spent many summer vacations exploring places they had read about in some historical novel and making sure to stop and visit each historic building and marker on the way. She suffered terribly when the recent pandemic shut down the local libraries.

She was a longtime member of Hollywood Hills United Methodist Church, joining after the family moved to Hollywood in 1969. She attended services whenever possible as well as Sunday School and Bible study classes. She volunteered for the church in many capacities serving as usher and Sunday School and Bible School teacher. She enjoyed serving on the church’s scholarship committee and was a vital member of the group responsible for the columbarium at the front of the church.

Barbara was a mentor and “mom” to not only her children but to her nieces and nephews and her children’s friends. She spent many hours chauffeuring Frank’s friends in Cobra Patrol of Troop 265 to local scout jamborees and special events. As a career woman and working mom back in the days when it wasn’t quite so common, she was role model to daughter Susan and her friends.

Barbara Gillis had a wicked sense of humor, but she was always kind. Her greatest worries were for her family and friends, not herself. She was always thoughtful, reaching out to her friends with a greeting card or phone call when they needed encouragement or sympathy. She had a brilliant and well-read mind, and during her later years enjoyed nothing more than sitting on the recliner in the family room, watching Jeopardy or doing crossword puzzles together with husband Ralph.

Barbara was pre-deceased by her beloved brother and sister-in-law Hugh (Buddy) and Pat Burch. She is survived by her husband Ralph, son Frank, and daughter Susan Gillis. A service will be held at Hollywood Hills United Methodist Church on Saturday, August 20th, at 1 P.M.   In lieu of flowers, donations may be made payable to Hollywood Hills United Methodist Church.