DELAVAN – Barbara Louise (Davis) Shreves, age 91, of Delavan passed away peacefully on Friday, July 19, 2024 at Delavan Health Services. She was born March 20, 1933 to Claude and Kathryn Davis. Barbara met Eugene Shreves of Sistersville, WV when he was stationed at the radar base in Williams Bay. They were married for more than 62 years.
Barbara trained at Mercy Hospital in Janesville as an X-ray technician. After her marriage, Barbara and Gene managed Delbrook Golf Course. She routinely served more than 100 lunches on Ladies Day despite not knowing how to cook. She switched careers again, returning to college. Barbara received her Bachelor of Arts and Masters in English, Speech, and Drama from UW-Whitewater. She taught English and Drama at Delavan-Darien High School, serving as drama director of school musicals and one-act plays. She retired in 1992.
After retirement she became involved with Walworth County Retired Educators Association, Friends of Aram Public Library, Delavan Historical Society, Meals on Wheels, and Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War. She was a lifelong member of St. Andrews Catholic Church.
Travel was a true passion. In the early years, she would pack up the station wagon with the kids and head off on summer vacations. Later she traveled internationally from Europe to Egypt to China.
Barbara is survived by her children, Eugene Jr. “Geno” (Jenean), Delavan, Paul (Cynthia), Parrish, FL; Maribeth (Francis) Colberg, Burke, VA, Laurie Crader, Doniphan, MO, and Sara (David) Bode, Brookfield, WI; her sister, Kate Davis, of Port Townsend, WA; sisters-in-law, Jean Davis, of Green Valley, AZ, Sharon Davis, of Brookfield, and Helen Shreves, of Moundsville, WV; 11 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Gene; brothers, Lawrence, James, and Claude Jr.; son-in-law Dan Crader; and grandchildren Jeffrey Crader and Amy Jett.
Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Monday, July 29, 2024 at St. Andrews Catholic Church, 714 E. Walworth Avenue in Delavan. Burial will take place at St. Andrews Cemetery. Visitation and Gathering will be held after burial at 12:30 P.M. at the Delavan American Legion, 111 South 2nd Street in Delavan.
Donations may be made to St. Andrews Catholic Church or the Eugene and Barbara Shreves Award at the Delavan-Darien Scholarship Foundation.
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