Barbara Courteen Rose, a longtime resident of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, died on Aug. 27, 2026, at the age of 80.
Barbara was born on Oct. 17, 1945, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Newburgh, New York, to Robert Dubois Fowler and Jane Courteen Fowler. She graduated from Newburgh Free Academy in 1962 and from Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts, in 1965.
After college, Barbara spent 10 years working in hospitality at Rancho de los Caballeros in Wickenburg, Arizona. Those years left an indelible mark on her. It was there that she began a lifelong love affair with the American West and gained an appreciation for the Arizona desert, horseback riding, and Native American art and jewelry. Rancho de los Caballeros remained a very special place to Barbara throughout her life, and she returned often, bringing along extended family and friends and sharing with them a place that meant so much to her.
In 1977, Barbara married David Raber and made Santa Barbara her home. She became an active member of the community and a longtime parishioner of All Saints by the Sea, where she served on the Vestry as Senior Warden. During her years in Santa Barbara, Barbara worked at Raber Lighting, Direct Relief International, and, ultimately, the Santa Barbara Foundation. She approached each of her endeavors with the same quiet dedication and genuine interest in people that would characterize her life.
In 1999, Barbara moved to the Ventura Keys, where her commitment to community continued. She served on the Board of Directors of the Community Memorial Healthcare Foundation and later joined the organization as a Development Assistant, working on the campaign to build the new Community Memorial Hospital. Always more comfortable behind the scenes, Barbara was very successful in developing strong connections with community members and was proud to contribute to a project that would serve Ventura County.
Barbara also had a particular passion for education. She was an active member of the Ventura County Community Foundation Scholarship Committee and personally established and funded the Science Matters scholarship. Each year, she volunteered countless hours to carefully read hundreds of applications. Her scholarship was a personal expression of her belief in the importance of education and the potential of young people.
In 2002, Barbara married Ron Rose. Together they enjoyed many good times traveling, exploring the outdoors, and treasuring their time at their mountain home in Colorado, the “Wild Rose Ranch.” Ron shared Barbara’s passion for the American West, and she would have loved many more wonderful years with Ron, but sadly, he passed away in 2017.
Barbara maintained deep and meaningful connections with her family throughout her life and had a remarkable number of dear friends. She was generous with her time, energy, and resources, but perhaps her greatest gift was the genuine interest she took in her community and the lives of others.
The family would like to thank the many neighbors and friends who helped care for Barbara and her dear dog, Latte. They would also like to thank the wonderful caregivers who were tirelessly devoted to her.
A celebration of Barbara’s life will be held at All Saints by the Sea on Monday, Oct. 19, at 2 p.m.