Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, biochemist, educator, quilter

With great sorrow and love for a life fully lived, the family of longtime Claremont resident Barbara C. Dev announces her death, which took place October 8 while in the company of loved ones. Barbara fought a prolonged battle with ovarian cancer.

Barbara was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, friend, biochemist, educator, quilter, avid reader and conversationalist.

She followed her curiosity, interests and strong relationships with her mentors into the field of chemistry at a time when few women were in the profession. She earned her bachelor’s at Holy Names College in Oakland, California.

She then joined the nuclear chemistry graduate program at UC Davis. She earned her master’s degree at Davis, where she met Vasu, her husband of 55 years.

Later, as a teaching mother and primary caregiver for her aging mother, she earned her PhD in biochemistry at Loma Linda University.

She leaves behind her husband, Vasu; children, Nisha Abdul-Cader and Rajan Dev; and her grandchildren, Isa, Jibreel, Hana and Aasha.

A private burial took place at Claremont’s Oak Park Cemetery. 

A public memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, November 9 at Monte Vista Unitarian Universalist Congregation, where she and her husband have been members since the late 1960s. The Congregation is located at 9185 Monte Vista Ave., Montclair.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to the Monte Vista Unitarian Universalist Congregation at montevistauu.org (click on “Stewardship”); or to the Dev/Zimmerman Family Chemistry Scholarship endowment fund (U46425) at Cal Poly Pomona at cpp.edu/~giving (search “Dev/Zimmerman Family Chemistry Scholarship”), or by check to Cal Poly Pomona Development, Attention: Melissa Martinez, PO Box 3121, Pomona, CA 91769.