Obituary of Barbara Paradiso

Barbara (Barb) Ann Paradiso, 65, of Boulder died suddenly at home early Tuesday morning on July 27th, 2021. She was born on a joyous snowy New Year’s Day (January 1), 1956 in Chicago Heights, IL and grew up in Steger, IL. She was preceded in death by her parents John & Edith Marie (Hodson) Paradiso, Steger, IL. She is survived by her partner of 24 years, Kimberly Smith; their children Isabella, 18, & John, 15; sisters: Debbie [John] Giordano & Cathy [Russell] Granat, Surprise, AZ; nieces & nephews: Leland & Nick Giordano and Deanna Arnold & Christie [Jim] Granat-Hodge, Surprise, AZ; and a host of friends & much of the DV community. Barb was an amazing mother & partner and left a huge mark in the nation’s domestic violence service community and will be deeply missed by all. She has worked as a warrior fighting domestic violence for the last 40 years, first at a domestic violence shelter in Colorado Springs, CO, following her graduation from Colorado College; then as executive director of Boulder’s Safehouse; then DV programs development and funding for the Sunshine Lady Foundation; and over the last 20 years she founded and directed the Center on Domestic Violence in the School of Public Affairs at University of Colorado at Denver until her death. Among her many other community service efforts she help found Blue Sky Bridge, a child abuse intervention & education program, and served on the boards of Boulder Homeless Shelter and the Boulder County YWCA. She loved her kids more than anything. They were the light of her life. She also wished she could have spent more time acting on the stage as she did in her early years in Colorado Springs. In lieu of flowers please help keep Barb’s legacy alive by donating the Center on Domestic Violence: donate to the Center Additional Obits: • Center on Domestic Violence: https://mailchi.mp/0e6e4f67e4eb/in-memoriambarbara-paradiso?e=33df05ae0d • SPAN: https://www.safehousealliance.org/news/in-memory-of-barbara-paradiso/ Please join the family and friends of Barbara Paradiso on August 28, 2021, to honor her life and remember the time we had with her. Location: Millennium Harvest House Hotel Pavilion at 3 pm 1345 28th Street, Boulder, CO 303-443-3850 Rooms are available for guests coming from out of town Light hors-d’oeuvres will be served after the ceremony so people can connect and share together