Barbara Aberle Freel of Goleta, beloved mother, grandmother, and friend to many, passed away peacefully on Nov. 10, 2025 surrounded by love.
Born on Feb. 22, 1939 in Chicago, Illinois, Barbara was the daughter of Warren and Barbara Aberle.
Barbara, or “Babs” as many in her family called her, spent her early childhood in La Grange, Illinois, and Dayton, Ohio, before moving with her family to Los Angeles, California, where she spent the majority of her childhood.
Barbara had an incredibly close and special relationship with her maternal grandmother Bede Coxe.
After graduating from University High School in Los Angeles in January 1956, Barbara attended University of Colorado Boulder. She would later transfer to UCLA to be closer to family.
Barbara was an active and proud member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. At UCLA, she met her future husband, and together they eventually welcomed their sons John and Matt.
After leaving UCLA, Barbara started her professional life in the fashion industry, and would eventually pivot to a successful career as a professional meeting planner.
She relocated from Long Beach, California, to the San Francisco Bay Area in the early 1980s, and spent many years as the associate director of meetings and conferences at the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Barbara loved living in Marin County, California, for more than two decades, enjoying the area’s natural beauty, especially Stinson Beach.
Barbara’s passions included playing tennis and pickleball, quilting, reading, writing and baking.
She cherished spending time with her sons and their families, making frequent trips to Washington, DC, to visit her son John, his wife Mila, and four grandchildren Payton, Cade, Winn and True, as well as traveling often to Goleta to spend time with her son Matt, his wife Michelle, and their daughter Amanda.
Barbara loved attending her grandchildren’s birthday parties, special events, and activities.
In 2001, Barbara retired and moved to Arroyo Grande, California, to be closer to her son Matt and his family. She quickly immersed herself in the Central Coast community, volunteering locally and establishing many close friendships including within the local tennis community.
Barbara loved the ocean, making frequent visits to nearby Pismo Beach to walk, collect sea glass, and hear the soothing sound of waves crashing on the seashore.
Barbara is preceded in death by her father Warren J. Aberle and his wife Frances Aberle, her mother Barbara Aberle, and brother John Aberle.
Barbara is survived by her son Matthew Bartos and his wife Michelle, and their daughter Amanda Bartos of Goleta, and son John Bartos, his wife Mila, and their children Payton Zwycewicz (and her husband Trevor), Cade Bartos, Winn Bartos, and True Bartos of Washington, DC, sisters Carol Orloff and Katherine Aberle, as well as nieces and nephews.
The family will honor her life privately at a later date. Thank you and blessings to the loving staff of Westmont living in Goleta, and Central Coast Home Health and Hospice who surrounded Barbara with love, compassion and care.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a donation be made in honor of Barbara A. Freel to the Alzheimer’s Association.