ST. TAMMANY PARISH, LA. 

Obituary for: WILLARD, BARBARA BOBBE 

Submitted by: Louis Lavedan. 

Source: Bagnell & Sons Funeral Home, Covington, La.

Died: Wednesday, March 22, 2017

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WILLARD, BARBARA BOBBE 
	Died: Wed., Mar. 22, 2017

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Barbara “Bobbe” Willard, surrounded by her family, went home to God at the age 
of 83 after a prolonged illness.  

The daughter of famous ballerina/teacher Lelia Haller, and Calvary 
officer/attorney Fred A Wulff, Bobbe was born in New Orleans on 11/11/33 into a 
world of horses and ballet.    
She began teaching ballet at NORD (New Orleans Recreation Department) at the 
age of 16 as she performed under the stage name of “Bobbe Baron”.  
At the age of 21 she married Leslie C Waters and moved to Missouri. She had two 
daughters, Debbe and Cyndee.  She opened her first ballet school while living 
in Missouri.  
Returning to New Orleans in the early sixties, she divorced. 
Continuing to perform on stage, she also began teaching horseback riding during 
the summers at Big Tree Day Camp.  While performing as Bobbe Baron, Ms. Bobbe 
began teaching classes for her mother. In the early sixties she married Wallace 
“Wally” Willard, and ran three ballet schools in the New Orleans and Metairie 
area.
In the early 80s Wally and Bobbe moved to the north shore where she eventually 
opened Haller Classic Ballet.  She taught and ran the school until she became 
ill in late December, 2016.

Her love and enthusiasm for ballet and God touched many lives as she taught 
people to “dance with the body you have”. 

Bobbe was preceded in death by her beloved Wally.  She died on 3/22/17 in St. 
Tammany Hospital.  She is survived by daughters Debbe Waters Bollinger (Earl) 
and Cynthia Waters, granddaughters Blake Guichet (Jeremy) and Morgan Bollinger, 
great granddaughter Pacey, brother Fred Wulff (Judy) and multiple nieces and 
nephews. 

Her life will be celebrated Saturday, April 1st, at 10am at Covington 
Presbyterian Church.  Bobbe loved color in her life; please come to her 
Celebration of Life adorned in your favorite colors. She thought everyone 
should be able to dance and gave free lessons to many children and adults.  To 
continue that tradition, in lieu of flowers donations may be sent to Haller 
Classic Scholarship: 848 Collins Blvd., Covington, LA 70433.  
A dedication will be made at the studio at a later time.  
The tradition continues.

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