Barbara Tacke

Barbara "Barb" Tacke, age 74, born August 16th,1949 to Lloyd M. and May L. (Witte) Tacke, died peacefully in the early hours of June 24th, 2024, at Hansen House Memory Care. Barb was a Sister, an Aunt, a Great Aunt, and a Friend. She was present for all of us...until she could no longer be.

Academically, Barb was the smart one in the family, graduating from St. Albert High School at the age of 16 and from Creighton University at age 20 with a degree in Education and a double minor in Math and English. From there, she went on to earn a master's degree (also from Creighton) in Guidance & Counseling.

Barb taught in several parochial schools in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area and retired as an elementary school counselor for the OPS district. Though never married, Barb referred to all of her students as "her kids." She would go on to tell you that some were way more difficult than others, but then would quickly add "isn't that the way it is in most families?" Her happiest years were towards the end of her career when she was assigned to Oak Valley Elementary in the Omaha Public Schools system. She called the students there her "special ones." No matter how difficult the day was - especially at Oak Valley - she loved every single child and would not hesitate to tell you of the joy they brought into her life.

Barb was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Bill (Tacke). Also preceding her were her two little dogs, Mickey and Tillie. 

She is survived by her brother, Bob (Tacke) and his wife, Brenda (Spooner); her sister, Burdine (Tacke) Osborn and her husband, Gary, sister, Beth (Tacke) Black and her husband, Phil; nieces, Brittany (Tacke) Jones and her husband, Jason, Bailey Tacke and her partner, Trevor Shoemaker, Kelsey Osborn and her fiancé, Dawson Dunkin; and nephew, Connor Osborn and his fiancée, Caylee Schnider. Also surviving Barb are Kori and Lilly Jones, Emmett Osborn, Stuart and Jeremy Black, and a student population too numerous to name.

Barb brought love and joy to all of us. Her family is large, and so is the void that her passing brings. As were her wishes, Barb was cremated and there will be no public Memorial. In lieu of flowers, it was also her wish that friends "do something nice for someone they don't know." Whether that be in the form of a donation (specifically to Sacred Heart Church, the Humane Society or Little White Dog Rescue), or a small gesture (holding the door open for the person coming in behind you, or letting someone get in line in front of you), just spend the day being mindful of each other and practice one of Barb's favorite quotes which was "Be nice to everyone, because we don't know what pain they are in."