Barbara Jean Gingrich, daughter of Carl Gingrich and Anna Bauer Gingrich, died on March 4, 2023 at Saint Elizabeth Healthcare Center in Delphi, Indiana. She was born on March 27, 1932, in Logansport, Indiana, and had three older siblings; Catherine Gingrich Bowman, William Gingrich, and James Gingrich, all of whom predeceased her. Her father was a building contractor and she was proud that his family's firm had helped build the IU Union, the DePauw Fieldhouse, and several large churches in Cincinnati, including Hyde Park Methodist and Saint Monica's, which for a time was the Cathedral for the Diocese of Cincinnati. Barbara grew up in Logansport in the 1930s and 40s, when the city's bustling downtown included a movie theater and an assortment of department stores and shops.  She attended Saint Joseph School (the German parish, in friendly competition with the Irish and Italian parishes), and graduated from Logansport High School in 1950.  She enjoyed tennis, ice skating (people said she reminded them of Sonja Henie), choral singing, and bicycling. She was a devout Catholic, and as a child, was thrilled when asked to make a 2 ^nd First Communion because they needed one more girl to process with the younger children. She graduated from Marian College in Indianapolis in 1954, the last class before the school went coed. She and her friends chafed against the strict rules of 10PM lights out, back on campus by 11:00 PM on weekends, and not being allowed to go home on weekends without a written invitation. She attended dances at the Newman Club in downtown Indianapolis and in summer enjoyed weekends at Lake Maxinkuckee, and going to big band dances at Indiana Beach. At Christmastime, she'd work in Logansport's downtown department store, buying gifts on Christmas eve with her earnings, and walking home with them as it snowed. She also became a Girl Scout leader, working at the scouts' summer camps, teaching swimming and camping skills.  After graduating from Marian, she returned to Logansport to take her first teaching job and help care for her parents, both of whom were in ill health. Sadly, both of them died suddenly within months of one another when Barbara was alone with them. She was just 22 and the loss affected her profoundly. She frequently spoke of how little she understood life then and wished she could have had their advice. Shortly after this, she met Peter Leahy, who had recently returned from Korea, having arrived some years earlier from Ireland, and was just starting out as a farmer. She spoke of him frequently as her prince from overseas. Following the birth of her first of five children, Peter surprised her by moving the new family from their apartment in Logansport to a small house between Delphi and Monticello. The house lacked a phone, and the family had only one vehicle. She adjusted to the new baby and country living, making friends with neighbors and working to shed any reputation she had of being the "city girl." After several moves, the family settled for some years north of Delphi. She became a member of Saint Joseph's Catholic Church, serving on the Church Council for some years, and teaching Sunday School. Throughout this time, she taught grade school, first in Logansport, then New Hope school south of Delphi, then later Woodlawn School in Monticello, and finally at St. Mary's school in Lafayette, having to stop teaching each time she became pregnant (a common rule in most schools until the 1970s). She enjoyed teaching, and especially loved helping those who struggled with reading become fluent. This love carried on as she taught literacy to adults working on their GED. She later became a librarian and helped set up and run a small rural branch near Yeoman, Indiana. She earned a Masters in Education from IU-Kokomo, and later earned her Librarian Certification.  She had a fine eye for decoration and style, and loved to garden and paint landscapes. Some of her pieces were included in the book of Artists of Carroll County. Several pieces were also included in showings at the local Court House and Opera House. She deeply loved her family, including her five surviving children, Kevin (wife Joyce) of Cincinnati, Maureen Leahy Gottardy (husband Joseph) of Atlanta, Patrick (wife Jennifer) of Rossville, Michael (wife Kim) of Delphi and Matthew (wife Julia) of Camden, and her many nephews and nieces in Indiana, California, and New York. Her eleven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren were a particular source of joy in her later years, and she was proud of their good character and accomplishments. Services: Visitation will be Thursday from 9:30am to 11:30am at Abbott Funeral Home, Inc., Delphi. Her mass will be at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Delphi at 12:00pm, Fr. Robert Williams officiating. Burial will be at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Delphi.  Memorial contributions may be made to St. Joseph Altar & Rosary Society. To view her obit or send an online condolence to the family, visit: www.abbottfuneralhome.com