LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION mourning the death of Barbara E. Tatum distin-
guished citizen and devoted member of her community

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to
citizens of the State of New York whose lifework and civic endeavor
served to enhance the quality of life in their communities and the great
State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Barbara Evelyn Tatum died in June of 2010, at the age of 74;
and
WHEREAS, Born on April 16, 1936, in New York City to Evelyn and
William Street, Barbara E. Tatum was nicknamed the "Gold Baby" because
her birth was a true blessing; a year and a half later, her sister
Jacqueline was born and the sisters were truly inseparable; younger
siblings, Patricia and William, followed a few years later; and
WHEREAS, She excelled in school and exhibited an affinity for culinary
arts at an early age; as the oldest child, Barbara always liked to have
things in order and took her role quite seriously; and
WHEREAS, An avid listener, Barbara E. Tatum developed her sweet nature
and love of conversation from many talks with her mother and grandmoth-
er, Annabell; she showed an early love for all things fine natured and
extravagant, a love affair that she maintained throughout her life; and
WHEREAS, In September of 1953, Barbara met William David Tatum, an
accomplished track and field athlete with the New York Pioneer Club;
Barbara and William would converge after track meets and formed a last-
ing friendship; the two were married on June 5, 1955 in a beautiful
ceremony at Saint Michael's and Saint Mark's Episcopal Church; and
WHEREAS, William, an army man, was joined by his lovely wife in Stutt-
gart, Germany and the two soon traveled to many places including Genoa,
Stockholm, Zurich, Paris and Rome; William and B.T., a moniker she gave
herself as an abbreviation of her first and last name, gave birth to
their first son Bruce David in 1958; the twins Brett Adam and Brent Alan
were born a few years later in 1965; and
WHEREAS, A loving mother of three, Barbara E. Tatum also had assist-
ance from a wonderful friend named Lilly who helped her throughout her
journey in motherhood; Lilly's presence also allowed Barbara to be both
the mother she longed to be and the lady of style and elegance her life-
style required; and
WHEREAS, Barbara excelled in any endeavor she embarked upon whether it
be culinary arts, fashion or gardening; she was an expert in the kitchen
and could cook any and everything; from baking to wine tasting, her
expertise in culinary arts was second to none; and
WHEREAS, Barbara E. Tatum's commitment to excellence and her spirit of
humanity carried over into all fields of enterprise, including charita-
ble and civic endeavors; and
WHEREAS, For many years, Barbara E. Tatum was a member of the Brooklyn
Botanical Gardens and maintained a garden for Pratt Institute located at
the corner of Hall Street and Dekalb Avenue; from early 1960 through
1968, Barbara worked for Geraldine Stutts, President of Henri Bendel on
57th Street in New York City; and
WHEREAS, During this time of Jackie Kennedy look-a-likes, Barbara E.
Tatum was responsible for dressing many wealthy clients who trusted her
grace and tact to dress them to perfection; she was also a special
events planner for Ellen Futter, President of Barnard College where she
became a favorite among the Board of Directors; and
WHEREAS, B.T. loved to travel and spent many years traveling to Barba-
dos, West Indies, one of her favorite destinations; every summer for the
past 10 years, she would visit Cape Cod to spend time with special

friends; always a giver, Barbara's empathy was revealed in her monthly
donation to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, which she maintained for many
years; she was also a faithful Episcopalian and attended church every
Sunday at Saint Mary's Episcopal Church in Brooklyn; and
WHEREAS, B.T.'s wisdom, grace and love for others will always remain
in the hearts of many; she was a straightforward woman of her word, who
was well read and very conscious of everything happening in the world;
if B.T. loved you, you knew it for it was unconditional, enduring and
sincere; not only would she tell you that you were wonderful, but her
signature smile and a wink always let you know that you were near and
dear to her heart; and
WHEREAS, Barbara E. Tatum is survived by her husband, William David
Tatum; sister, Patricia "Patty" Street; brother, Dr. William "B" Street;
sons, Bruce David, Brett Adam and Brent Alan Tatum; grandchildren,
Mercedes, Michaela, Zoe, William, Alec and Bryce Tatum; cousins, Bever-
ly, Khalek, Malik and Edward Kirkland; nieces, Marguerita, Bianca and
Britt Street; nephews, Bradley, Blake, Blaine and Brendon Street; and
grandnephew, Kahlil Crenshaw; and
WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit, imbued with a sense of
compassion and comforted by a loving family, mourning the death of
Barbara E. Tatum distinguished citizen and devoted member of her commu-
nity leaves behind a legacy which will long endure the passage of time
and will remain as a comforting memory to all she served and befriended;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
mourn the death of Barbara E. Tatum distinguished citizen and devoted
member of her community; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the family of Barbara E. Tatum.