Barbara Connor had always known that she wanted to be a teacher. She had always loved learning and was fascinated by how her teachers had managed to impart knowledge to her so that she felt like she was part of something special.

When she was a little girl, she would come home from school and immediately set up a pretend classroom with a chalkboard and stuffed animals for her students. Even then, she knew that she wanted to be a teacher.

After graduating from Bloomsburg State College in 1966, Barbara started teaching at a small school just a few miles away from where she grew up. She taught third grade in a three-room schoolhouse, and she loved every minute of it. Over the next 35 years, Barbara would continue teaching in Pennsylvania's Wayne Highlands School District, impacting the lives of countless students along the way.

Although Barbara retired from teaching in 2001, she knew that she wasn't done giving back to her community. For years, she had been involved in her church, helping to make pierogies for the annual fundraiser and volunteering her time in other ways. She also joined the board of the Delaware & Hudson Rail Trail, a local organization that worked to preserve the historic railway line and turn it into a recreational trail.

Barbara's passion for education never wavered, even after she retired from teaching. She remained involved with her alma mater, Bloomsburg University, always looking for ways to give back to the school that had given her so much. Recently, Barbara decided to establish the Barbara Urbas Connor '66 Scholarship, which would provide financial assistance to aspiring teachers at Bloomsburg University.

With this scholarship, Barbara hoped to secure her legacy at Bloomsburg University and ensure that future generations of teachers would have the same opportunities that she had. She made a gift through her estate plan, knowing that it would make a lasting impact on the lives of students for years to come.

Barbara's dedication to education and her community is an inspiration to all who know her. She may have retired from teaching, but she will always be a teacher at heart, inspiring and encouraging others to follow in her footsteps and make a difference in the world.

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