Barbara Jean Burckhardt

1942-2026

Barbara Jean (nee Livingston) Burckhardt, long of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, passed away peacefully at home, 28 July 2026. She would have celebrated her 84th Birthday on 17 August 2026.

Barbara “Barb” Livingston was born 17 August 1942 in Tyler, Minnesota, to Lee Lucille (nee Wood) Livingston…She was baptized at an early age and Confirmed in the First Presbyterian Church of Russell…She grew up in Russell, Minnesota, and graduated from Russell Public High School in 1960.

Barbara was quite active in High School, including Band, Chorus, Student Council, F.H.A, School Paper and Annual Staffs, Class Plays and Cheerleading. Additionally, she danced many a night away in local venues, including Lyndwood, Hollyhock, and Blue Moon Ballrooms (referred to as “dance halls” by most). Rock and Roll was the music and she was a devoted fan of Elvis (the Pelvis) Presley. With her High School Annual photograph was the descriptive sentence, “If giggles were golden, I’d be a millionaire.” Her confidant from toddler-hood, Colleen (nee Swanson) Longstrom offered another glimpse into Barb’s personality when she admitted that the two of them “would occasionally skip piano lessons”.

After graduating high school Barbara, like many of her contemporaries, was off to the “Cities” (Minneapolis and Saint Paul) to seek employment, which she found in the secretarial pool of a large insurance company in Minneapolis. Over time she worked her way up to a more responsible position writing and preparing correspondence to company clients. While in the Cities (1960-1967)she met many interesting people and made life long friends (you know who you are).

On 26 December 1964 she married Marland J. Burckhardt in Russell, Minnesota. Upon graduation from the University of Minnesota in 1967 her husband was commissioned an officer in the United States Army. So began Barbara’s 30 year long stint as an Army wife. They moved frequently being assigned over the years to duty in Colorado, Georgia, Germany, Maryland, Arizona, North Carolina (4 times), Kansas, Texas, Utah, Pennsylvania (twice), and Massachusetts. Barbara adapted to the life of a military spouse and all that that entailed, wives clubs, military community activities and the frequent moves and separations (her husband served in Vietnam (1970) and DESERT SHIELD/STORM (1990-91), not to mention the many military training and exercise deployment separations, and most importantly the births of a daughter in Baltimore, Maryland and a son at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. Barbara finally settled in Carlisle, PA in 1993 when her husband retired from active duty at the Army War College, and stayed on at the College as an instructor. Each military move meant packing and unpacking all of her families’ worldly possessions (her husband’s boxes of books were a frequent frustration) and putting them back together (modifications were many) to make them fit in yet another “set of quarters”, keeping hearth and home together.

Barbara loved her family and friends and especially enjoyed returning to Russell, Minnesota to enjoy their company. She was a quilter of repute and a bowler who was a stickler on ensuring league rules were followed to the letter…to the point that some fellow bowlers referred to her as the “bowling nazi”.

Barbara is survived by her husband Marland of Carlisle; daughter Megan (David) DiToro of Warrington, PA; son Montz of Fuquay-Varina, NC; grandchildren Ayden and Adyson Burckhardt of Fuquay-Varina and Nichole DiToro of Warrington; and numerous nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers Wayne and Darwin; sister in law Jane; two nephews and one infant niece.

Barbara has found comfort, peace and reward with those she lost and wishes solace to her survivors. May she rest in peace.

In lieu of flowers or memorials please consider donating to a charity of your choice.