Barbara Koehler

Board Member

Barbara Koehler has served on the LEC Board of Directors for over 15 years. She has previously served on the Board of Directors of Tradewinds Condo in St. Augustine, Florida, and on the Board of Directors of Carrollbrook Patio Townhomes.

Barbara worked as a registered nurse before becoming president of Strictly Music and president of Sunny Mountain Inc., businesses that she and her husband founded together. She is also an award-winning artist known for her pastel paintings.

Barbara believes it is important for aging individuals to learn new skills. When she turned 65, she took up acrylic painting and then pastel painting, paintings she then entered into contests and won a number of awards for. For Barbara, the LEC has brought “a spark of life” into the aging process. She believes art can be an immersive experience that takes individuals out of their daily problems and worries and provides a healthy form of escapism. She also feels the LEC has much to offer older Tampa adults in terms of community and family.

Barbara was born in New York and raised in West Palm Beach, Florida, and she has now been a resident of Tampa for 40+ years. She was married to her husband for 60+ years, has 8 grandchildren, and is excited for great-grandchildren one day.