Vandana ‘Anna’ Elizabeth Barnard

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Vandana ‘Anna’ Elizabeth Barnard

Vandana “Anna” Elizabeth Barnard, 18, was tragically killed in a car accident on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016, in South Bend, Ind. She was born July 11, 1998, in New Delhi, India. She is the niece of Dave and Carole Nasralla and beloved cousin of Kayla, Maya, Jonathan and Anja, all of Pagosa Springs.

Anna was a vibrant, energetic young woman who was deeply loved by her family, her friends and her community. She moved from Belgium to the United States in 2012 to attend school in Pagosa Springs for an entire year. She then moved on to Atlanta, then to New York. In 2015, she finally settled in Indiana, where her grandparents, Jim and Betsy Lehman, of Syracuse live, and she attended Bethany Christian High School. As a young student, she was very active in school and community activities, served as a teacher’s aide, and had a passion for sports, particularly soccer. This past fall, she served as captain of the women’s soccer team of Bethany Christian High School and was voted Most Valuable Player. She was also named to the All-Northern Indiana Soccer Conference Team. She also tried her hand at basketball and excelled in the sport because of her athletic abilities and exceptionally good attitude.

Anna faithfully attended Maple City Chapel in Goshen, Ind. She was growing in her Christian faith, was very involved in her church community and had a passion for serving others. In the summer of 2016, she went on her first mission trip ever to Costa Rica and was profoundly affected by the experience. She had planned to explore further options in missions upon her graduation. Anna was loved by so many and will be well-remembered for her warmth, her infectious smile and her ability to engage and connect with people of every age. It is true of Anna that she “knew no stranger.”

Anna is survived by her grandparents, Jim and Betsy Lehman, Syracuse, Ind.; parents Benno and Deanne (Lehman) Barnard and brother Christopher, all of England; aunts Carole (Dave) Nasralla, Pagosa Springs, Priya Lehman, Atlanta, Ga., Renata (Tejia Bakker) Barnard and Marijke Barnard, both of the Netherlands; and uncles Stan (Kathleen) Lehman, Atlanta, Ga., and Jeff (Alison) Lehman, England; as well as numerous cousins.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Willem and Christina Barnard, and an uncle, Karl Lehman.

A memorial service was held for Anna on Friday, Dec. 30, 2016, at Maple City Chapel in Goshen, Ind. It was attended by over 650 people.

In honor of Anna, a scholarship fund has been set up at Bethany Christian Schools in Goshen, Ind., to help enable international students to attend Bethany. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be sent to Bethany Christian Schools, 2904 South Main St., Goshen, IN 46526, with a designation for the Anna Barnard Scholarship Fund.