In Memory

Barbara Joyce Eagle (Musella)

Barbara Joyce (Eagle) Musella, 75, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on Saturday, December 11, 2021 following a long battle with metastatic breast cancer.  She was born September 20, 1946 in Eugene, Oregon to Dan and Phyllis Eagle.  She graduated high school from Lewis and Clark High School in 1964 in Spokane, Wash.  She then attended Washington State University, where she was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority, graduating in 1968 with a degree in Economics. Barbara moved to Los Angeles following graduation to accept a position with Security Pacific National Bank in their management training program.  She was one of the first women to be admitted to the bank’s program.  It was working at the bank where she met her husband, Richard Musella.  They were married on January 23, 1971.  The two settled in Westchester, California where they lived for over 50 years.  They had two children, Stephanie, born in 1973, and John, born in 1976.  During her professional career Barbara worked for both Security Pacific National Bank and Bank of America.  With a passion for helping others, she later served as the Executive Director of the Bob Hope USO helping support the nation’s active-duty servicemembers. Barbara served on the Board of Directors for the Westchester Streetscape Improvement Association, helping to secure millions of dollars for landscape improvements along Sepulveda Boulevard through Westchester which serves as a gateway to LA from LAX.  Active in social causes important to her, Barbara played an active role with Rotarians Fighting Human Trafficking, which collaborated with law enforcement agencies, elected officials and non-profit organizations assisting victims of human trafficking.  She was made an Honorary Rotarian and was recognized as a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow for her contributions. Barbara also served on the Washington State University Southern California Leadership Council.  In addition, she and her husband endowed a scholarship in their name to help provide financial support to WSU freshmen students from California.  Barbara was preceded in death by her parents.  She is survived by her husband of more than a half century, Richard Musella; sister Arlene Nichols (David Nichols) of Tucson, AZ; children Stephanie Smitley (Stephen Smitley) of Eden Prairie, MN and John Musella (Ivan Volschenk) of Valencia, CA; and four grandchildren Timothy Smitley, Tyler Smitley, Thomas Smitley and Macey Smitley. Services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, January 5, 2022 at Visitation Church in Westchester, CA.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in her memory to the Bob Hope USO at LAX. 







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