Barbara Pougnet

Barbara Ellen Pougnet, February 28th, 1932 - March 7th, 2023.  Funeral Mass will be held 11am Monday, March 13th, 2023 at St. John Vianney Catholic Church of Flint, 2415 Bagley Street, Flint. Visitation 1pm-4pm and 6pm-9pm with a Rosary at 7pm Sunday, March 12th at Sharp Funeral Homes, Fenton Chapel, 1000 W. Silver Lake Road, Fenton. Visitation at church 10am-11am Monday until the time of the service. Burial will take place in New Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Flint. Barbara Ellen Pougnet was born in Fenton, Michigan on February 28th, 1932. She was the second child welcomed to Clarence and Ellen (Berryman) Swanebeck on their farm there. Barbara treasured life on the farm. She attended Odell School up until the 8th grade and went on to graduate at the top of her class from Fenton High School in 1949. For college, she attended St. Mary’s Notre Dame for a year before transferring to University of Detroit Mercy to pursue her passion for nursing. After graduating with a BSN in 1953, it was clear she was destined to be a skilled nurse. Barbara returned home to Fenton to begin her nursing career at McLaren Hospital in Flint, Michigan. She had an innate ability for thriving in the hospital and treating patients and colleagues like family. Barbara met her husband, Dr. William Donald Pougnet, while working at McLaren. Two years of dating led to their marriage on September 3rd, 1955 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Fenton. After their union, Don opened up a family practice in Flint Township. They decided to build their home and settle nearby in Western Hills neighborhood in 1961. Barbara set her career aside to begin raising their family of six. She cherished her lifelong friends and neighbors. Living there and raising their children was nothing short of picture perfect. Barbara adored her home in Western Hills for over 60 years and welcomed anyone with open arms for entertaining and countless family gatherings. Barbara continued her education and received an M.A. in Education from The University of Michigan - Ann Arbor in 1979. McLaren welcomed her back and over the next 14 years she held roles as a surgical nurse, oncology assistant nurse manager, and lastly worked in the Educational Resources and Development department. She was also a founding member of the U of M - Flint affiliated Pi Delta Chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Before retiring in 1994, Barbara was honored with a Top Ten Nurses of Michigan Honorable Mention Award. She was tirelessly committed to her profession and deeply cared for the welfare of others. Throughout Barbara’s life, her strength and willpower were unmatched. In 1989, she fought and won her battle with breast cancer. A year later brought more challenges and she lost her beloved husband, Don, of nearly 35 years of marriage. She was truly a force to be reckoned with and beyond that, a champion for her community around Flint and for her family and friends. Barbara was a longtime fundraiser for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, on the executive board at the Genesee County Free Medical Clinic, past director of the Healing Hands 5k Run/Walk that benefited the GCFMC, MSU Master Gardener, devout member of St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Flint, and member of the Genesee County Medical Society Alliance. In 2014, she was honored with the Michigan State Medical Society Foundation Community Service Award. There was no accomplishment in Barbara’s life that brought her greater pride, joy, and love than her family though. She was a true matriarchal rock that led her family and built a legacy that will last for generations through her deep appreciation for tradition and profoundly instilled values. She had 19 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren who she deeply loved and was their biggest fan. They kept her young, attending every sporting event, special occasions, and milestones. Whether it be setting up her famous “Dickens Village'' at Christmas with Evan and Brett the last 25 years, making buckeyes, bingo and scratch-off lottos at Thanksgiving, taking them all to Disney World, or flying wood airplanes off the roof at Easter, “Grandma Barb”, shared so many unique and special memories with her grandkids. She never skipped a chance to make them chocolate chip cookies, blueberry buckle, grilled cheeses, or pot roast. Outside of her close knit family, Barbara loved to cook her favorite recipes, travel up north, work outside in the garden, do puzzles and play card games, watch Hallmark movies, was a never-ending source of knowledge, and could fix just about anything. She also loved the many groups she was a part of that met for weekly or monthly breakfast and lunches. Recently, she stayed active doing chair yoga and found great amusement playing Wordle with her grandkids. Barbara passed away peacefully at her home on March 7th, 2023 surrounded by loved ones. She is survived by her children Jim (Patti) Pougnet, Mike Pougnet (Teresa Carter), Tom (Ursula) Pougnet, Steve Pougnet (Christopher Green), Ellen (Brian) Greene, Amy (Tommy) Macksood, and dearest sister Carol VanBuren, among nieces and nephews. She will be greatly missed, but there is no doubt in the impact she made on this world after 91 years and how fulfilled of a life she had. She is preceded in death by her husband, Dr. William Donald Pougnet, her daughter Mary Anne Pougnet, her father Clarence Swanebeck, her mother Ellen Swanebeck, and her brother Donald Swanebeck. The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses at McLaren Hospital, Mclaren Hospice, Karmanos Cancer Institute, and The University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to the Genesee County Free Medical Clinic or St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Flint, Michigan