Barri Ruthanne Schledt

Barri Schledt, beloved wife of Victor Schledt, mother of Sean Schledt of Cicero, Indiana, and grandmother of Brady (age 14) and Kason (born March 25th 2024), died on Friday March 29,2024. She was 70 years old and died of lung cancer which had been diagnosed just 30 days earlier.

Barri was born on June 30, 1953, in Washington, DC, to Air Force Colonel Robert Ficke and Ruth Collins Ficke. Her brother, Robert Ficke, Jr., is the only surviving child. The family lived on many military bases, both foreign and domestic. While living in Morocco, Barri learned some Arabic from the family nanny.

Her father retired in San Antonio, TX, where Barri graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1971. She earned a degree in accounting from the University of San Antonio in 1984.

She worked as an accountant, accountant manager, and IT specialist for several companies during her professional career. In 1980, Barri was still working as a clerk when she saw Victor enter the building for an interview. She told the human resources director there to hire him. They were married on October 10, 1980. They moved to Weeki Wachee, Florida, in 2010 after Victor retired from a job as project manager at USAA’s headquarters in San Antonio. They remained dedicated and loving life partners to the end.

Barri was a great mother to Sean, who loved her dearly. She loved playing games with Grandson Brady, and she lived to see her new grandson, Kason, shortly after he was born.

She was skilled in many sports and was Sean’s head coach for the AAU basketball team.

But her passion was bowling. She was proud of her 298 ring and wore it everywhere.

And she used her IT skills to support her bowling leagues in both Texas and Florida and served as an officer on those boards for several years.

As a Texan, Barri loved Mexican food and became proficient in preparing many dishes from scratch, such as enchiladas, carne guisada, and tacos. She loved making Margarita pizzas with her home-grown basil.

Barri and Victor enjoyed creating a garden oasis at their beloved Weeki Wachee home to support native birds and pollinators. They were both members of the Florida Native Plant Society. She loved to kayak the beautiful springs of Florida, including the Weeki Wachee River, Rainbow River, and the Three Sisters Spring.

The family has selected a natural burial at Heartwood Preserve. Watch for an announcement about an upcoming celebration of life to honor Barri. She will be missed by everyone who knew her.