Barbara Anne Klankowski

October 11, 1942 - January 14, 2021

GENEVA -Barbara Anne Brase Klankowski passed away peacefully on the morning of January 14, 2021, at her home on the west shore of Seneca Lake, just 25 miles from where she was born in Geneva, NY. Barbara was born to Karl Brase and Boydy Brezina Brase on October 11, 1942. After graduating from Cornell University, she briefly followed in her mother’s footsteps working as a teacher in both Binghamton and Syracuse, NY. But teaching wasn’t her passion. Travel was. Barbara moved to New York City to go to work for PANAM during which time she took full advantage of the available travel benefits, circling the globe multiple times. Barbara loved planning trips for others almost as much as she loved to travel herself, and PANAM was just the first stop on her long career as a travel professional. Over the years, Barbara’s travels took her to all seven continents and all 50 states. And right up to the end she loved flipping through the pages of her travel magazines planning her next adventure. Barbara was also a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She met her husband, Karl Klankowski, at a party in Brooklyn, NY and together they had 2 children: Kathleen and Lynn. They celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary on December 19, 2020, with a COVID-era Zoom party. As her husband’s career in the US Navy had the family crisscrossing the country, Barbara took years off from her career to raise their daughters and create wonderful homes for the family to live in. After her granddaughter, Bianca, was born she made many trips to the San Francisco Bay Area to attend her school and dance events. One of Barbara’s proudest moments was delivering her granddaughter to Cornell University to start her freshman year as a 4th generation Cornellian in August 2020. The family requests those who wish to express sympathy to consider making a donation to their local SPCA or favorite animal rescue in Barbara’s (the self-proclaimed “Dachshund Lady”) name.