Barbara Frances Beier

Dr. Barbara Frances Beier, 75, of Morganton, NC, passed away peacefully on January 29, 2025 at the Robin Johnson Hospice House in Dallas NC.

Barbara was the oldest of eleven children born to Bernard and Mary Beier. She graduated from Aquinas HS in Augusta, GA, the top of her class. She obtained her undergraduate degree in mathematics at Fontbonne College in St. Louis, MO. She then attended Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, earning her master's degree in Inorganic Chemistry. She became a Research Chemist and Analytical Chemist at Exxon Research and Engineering in Baytown, TX.

After six years, Exxon phased out much of the research department so Barbara accepted a position in computer programming with Lockheed Martin in Houston. In August 1988, she went in a totally different direction - psychology. She attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and received her PHD in Clinical Psychology. She interned at Topeka State Hospital, then moved to Mobile, AL for a job in clinical psychology. Within a couple years, she learned of an opening at Broughton Hospital in Morganton, NC. She applied for and obtained a position at Broughton as a clinical psychologist where she stayed until she retired. Barbara loved Morganton and her position at Broughton. She became an active member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Catawba Valley in Hickory, NC. She joined a duplicate bridge group, also in Hickory. She became a Silver Lifetime Master in duplicate bridge.

Barbara loved music. She started learning to play piano in the fourth grade. She continued to take lessons as a child and then taught other children to play. During her adult life she always had a piano and/or keyboard and played just enough to stay accomplished. Later in life, Barbara borrowed an accordion from a friend and it was love at first squeeze. She became accomplished at the accordion, mostly self-taught, eventually buying several accordions of which she was very proud. She played with an accordion orchestra and discovered how difficult it is to play well with others. She was proud of playing in the Catawba Valley New Horizons Band.

In addition to making music with New Horizons and her church choir, playing bridge, and volunteering at church, Barbara worked to increase awareness of and assistance to social justice issues, in particular racial justice.

Barbara is preceded in death by her parents, Bernard George Beier and Mary Jane Cieslewicz Beier of North Augusta, SC, and her brother, William John Beier of Mt. Pleasant, SC.

She is survived by nine siblings, Paul Beier and wife Maryann Vandrielen of Flagstaff, AZ, Mary Elizabeth Beier Maguire and husband Steve Maguire of Alpharetta, GA, Thomas Joseph Beier and wife Elizabeth Ann Allen Beier of Lexington, SC, Anthony Joseph Beier and wife Eljean Miller Beier of Duncan, SC, Robert Francis Beier and wife Mary Louise Maxwell Beier of Augusta, GA, Ann Catherine Beier Watts and husband Jack Timothy Watts of Gastonia, NC, Susan Ellen Beier Polder and husband Mike Polder of Orlando, FL, Bernard George Beier II of Savannah, GA, John Stephen Beier and wife Katrina Myers Beier of Columbia, SC. Barbara is also survived by 27 nieces and nephews and 21 great nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be sent to the Nature Conservancy or National Resources Defense Council.

A memorial service will be held at Unitarian Universalist Church of Catawba Valley in Hickory, NC on Tuesday February 4, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.