Barbara “Bobbi” A. MacMillan-Walker, 73, of La Porte, Ind. passed away Saturday, July 11, 2020.
She was born March 1, 1947 in La Porte to Harold and Katherine (Szawara) Salzer. She had lived most of her life in La Porte, but had also lived in Elkhart, Ind. and Tarrytown, N.Y.
She was most recently a guest relations representative at the South Bend Clinic in South Bend, Ind., where she was the switchboard operator and front desk information hostess. Before that she was the head switchboard operator at Somers Orthopedic in Carmel, N.Y. Before moving to New York, she spent many years as a machine operator at NISCO (Nishikawa Cooper, LLC) in Bremen, Ind. She also spent years as a front desk receptionist and inmate state billing agent at Westville Correctional in Westville, Ind. She had also worked as a front desk clerk and auditor at the Holiday Inn in Michigan City, Ind.; as a line attendant, line supplier, machine operator, quality control auditor and an assistant supervisor for 15 years at American Home Foods; and, finally, her first full-time job was as a long-distance telephone operator at General Telephone in La Porte. She also did part-time switchboard jobs at the once-upon-a-time Rumely Hotel in La Porte and St. Joseph Hospital in South Bend. She always said she had the gift to gab!
Barb’s first marriage was to Robert Alan MacMillan of New Carlisle, Ind. They shared being the proud parents of their son, Gary Alan MacMillan, who was her pride and joy. “Thank you, Bob, for giving me the greatest gift of love ever which is being a parent by the grace of God.” Her second husband was Javier Gonzalez, originally from San Miquel Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico. They shared many good times and he gave her the wonderful memories of his beautiful country. “Thank you, Poncho.” She remained friends with them both until the end, sharing no hate or animosity to either. Her third husband was Thomas Bruce Walker of Tarrytown, N.Y. “We were married 14 years and enjoyed a lot of happiness before God called him home. And to think we met on the internet and he sent a plane ticket to New York and the rest is, so they say, history.”
Barb was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and the First Church of God, both in La Porte. Over the years she attended many different churches with friends. Each were enlightening but she never gave up her Catholic faith.
Barb was involved in La Porte High School extra-curricular activities from 1981 to 1985 by organizing fund raisers for the Swing Choir, of which her son was a member, and she was a chaperone to Orlando where the Swing Choir competed and won a national competition. She was a former president of the Sacred Heart Rosary Society, the Sacred Heart liturgy committee and Sacred Heart Polish festival committee. She was on the First Church of God funeral luncheon committee and Women of Worth. She was a La Porte County CASA (court-appointed special advocate for abused and neglected children). She was a hands-on member of the South Bend Clinic committee for summer picnics and Christmas parties. Finally, she belonged to the Red Hat Society.
Survivors include son, Gary Alan (Kimberly Good) MacMillan of Hamlet, Ind.; precious grandchildren, Conner Alan MacMillan, Jacob Dean MacMillan, Deanna Marie MacMillan, Jenna Lynn MacMillan, Brayden James MacMillan, and twins, Ella Rose and Eryn Lilly MacMillan; half-sister, Roberta Flatt of La Porte; and many friends, including Judy, Sharon and Shelly.
Preceding her in death were her parents; husbands; half-sister, Marcia Fullerton; and her beloved pets who shared their unconditional love with her.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 15 at Frank L. Keszei Funeral Home Essling Chapel, 1117 Indiana Ave., La Porte, Ind. A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 16, 2020 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, La Porte, with Rev. Ian Williams officiating. Family and friends may gather at 9 a.m. Thursday in the funeral home. Burial will follow at Pine Lake Cemetery.
Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP as well as at www.esslingfuneralhome.com.