Barbara Buehler Sayres, died at home in Orange on July 8. Born in Los Angeles in 1927, she was the daughter of Karl W. Buehler and Frances C. Buehler. She grew up in San Marino, attending South Pasadena High School, before college at Stanford University.
At Stanford, she met Robert (Bob) C Sayres, a fellow student from Honolulu, and following graduation, they were married in San Gabriel in 1951.
Initially living in Santa Clara following her marriage, she taught kindergarten for two years while Bob pursued a career in aerospace engineering. Returning to southern California in 1954, the couple lived first in Alhambra and then San Gabriel, while starting a family with daughter Sally born in 1955 and son John in 1957. In the mid-1960s, the family relocated to Tustin, where she lived for the next 55+ years.
Upon returning to southern California, Barbara’s initial priority was raising her two children. She was a very involved parent, meeting with teachers, organizing PTA events and striving to enrich the lives of her children and their friends by organizing outings to museums, parks and various cultural events. She was also a devoted daughter and maintained a strong, caring relationship with her parents throughout their lives.
Her unbounded energy also enabled her to commit significant time to community philanthropies and educational organizations. Her involvement included serving as president of several of these entities, including the Stanford Women’s Club of Pasadena, the Jack and Jill Guild of the Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) and the Assistance League of Tustin. She was also a longtime member of PEO. Her participation in these organizations not only gave her the opportunity to contribute to worthy causes, but to develop a large number of long-lasting, close friendships with other members.
Her college book club group, consisting of about a dozen Stanford alums (many from her class of 1949) living in Orange County, held a special place in her heart.
Meeting several times a year for lunch and a book review/discussion, this group’s highly anticipated gatherings (although she exhibited some trepidation when she was scheduled to be the discussion facilitator) continued until many of the members were well into their nineties. She thrived on the sense of purpose and social interaction that her involvement with these organizations afforded her and the lifelong relationships that developed.
Bob passed away in 2014, after 62 years of marriage. She is survived by their two children, Sally Sayres and John Sayres, daughter-in-law Dayna Sayres and three granddaughters, Lauren, Kelly and Haley Sayres. She will be greatly missed, but always remembered with love, gratitude and fondness.