Resident of Saratoga
Barbara Horne Tiernan passed away peacefully on August 3, 2024, at the Saratoga Retirement Community. Barbara was a beautiful, optimistic person with an infectious smile who loved being around people.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio to her loving parents, Fred and Eleanor Horne, Barbara spent most of her childhood in the Carmel Valley area with her sisters Diana and MaryEl. They enjoyed the “country” life along with their dogs and Arabian Horses. She attended Carmel High, Stanford University and UCLA.

In 1954 Barbara married William Albee and had 5 children. That marriage ended and she married Joseph McCargar in 1971. This brought 4 additional children into Barbara’s life whom she “adopted” as her own. That marriage also ended. Barbara then met and subsequently married Frank Tiernan in 1984. The marriage to Frank brought his two sons into Barbara’s extended family.

Once her children were raised, Barbara began a career in business at Airrigation Engineering Inc. She helped expand Airrigation, a developer and supplier of chemical root control systems to municipalities, around the world. She eventually became President, along the way establishing a successful subsidiary company, Foam Innovations.

Barbara loved to compete in sports and games of all types. She excelled in women’s basketball and field hockey at Stanford. Later in life she took up tennis, making the DeAnza College tennis team in her forties. After retirement, she learned to play competitive contract bridge and enjoyed participating in many American Contract Bridge League tournaments around the country. Her greatest love, however, was for her family and friends especially her children and grandchildren whom she adored.

Barbara was a remarkable person who touched the lives of many. She will be remembered as a strong, kind, thoughtful and generous person. She will be deeply missed by all those whose lives she touched. Barbara is preceded by her parents, her sister MaryEl and her children David, Dane and Christine. Barbara is survived by her husband Frank, her two sons Rick (Kathleen) and Brian (Kelly), her “adopted” children Jim (Terry), Jo Anne (Mario), Dave (Maria), Vince (Paige), Chris (Kristin), and Frank Jr. as well as her sister Diana. A private funeral for family and close friends was held on August 12, 2024, at the Gates of Heaven Cemetery in Los Altos.