Barbara Franklin Hiltabrand Allsup

Barbara Franklin Hiltabrand Allsup passed on January 20th, 2019 at 8:30 am with her daughters at her side in Bloomington, IL.

Barbara Jean Franklin was born on April 11, 1926 at Brokaw Hospital in Normal, IL, the daughter of Noah Elmo Franklin and Margaret Bona Mann Franklin. Her primary education was in Lexington until her last two years of high school where she graduated from Ward Belmont Preparatory School in Nashville, TN. Barbara then attended Stephens College in Columbia, MO where she majored in aeronautics, and later received her private pilot's license.

Barbara married Robert James Hiltabrand (Hilde) in August 1945 in a garden wedding at her parent's home in Lexington. They had two daughters, Sarah and Lucy, and a son, James Franklin Hiltabrand. In 1952, both Hilde and Lucy contracted polio. Lucy survived but polio took Hilde's life in August, 1953. Their son James died in a tragic car accident in December, 1972 while attending the University of Colorado.

Shortly after Jim was born, Barbara moved her young family to South Florida, where her parents had spent winters. The family then relocated to Atlanta, GA for a couple of years. In 1961, after her father died, she moved back to Lexington to be with her mother and closer to family.

In 1967 Barbara married Ted T. Allsup. Together they enjoyed sailing, tennis and traveled extensively to Greece, Ireland, England, East and South Africa, Russia, Canada and New Zealand.

Barbara had a keen business mind and put it to good use as the first woman nominated to the Bloomington/Normal Airport Authority by then-mayor, Jessie Smart, as the representative from Bloomington. She was also chosen to serve on the McClean County Museum of History Board, the Bloomington/Normal Symphony Board, the Senior Professionals Board at ISU, the St. Matthew's Church Vestry and a member of History and Art. Barbara's varied career path included stints in modeling, real estate, insurance, advertising, and also an LPN and nursed in Kenya, New Zealand, Palm Springs and Bloomington. She also was a small business owner of a women's boutique in downtown Normal, The Shop for Pappagallo.

Surviving are her children: Sarah Sporrer (David) and Lucy Hoover (Robert Newport), five grandchildren and six great grandchildren. Step children Lynn Allsup Olson, Joanne Woolridge (James), Morgan Allsup (Caitlin); and three step grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, two husbands, Robert James Hiltabrand and Ted T. Allsup, her son, James Franklin Hiltabrand, and her brother Noah Elmo Franklin, Jr.

Visitation will be held at St. Matthews Church in Bloomington, IL from 9:30 - 11:00 am on February 2, 2019. Memorial service to follow at 11 am. Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home, Bloomington is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the McLean County Museum of History, Bloomington, IL