Barbara Koltuska-Haskin

Dr. Barbara Koltuska-Haskin died on May 1, 2025 due to complications after a stroke. Barbara was born on November 14, 1953 and raised in Warsaw, Poland. She was a member of the Solidarity Movement in Poland when they confronted Russian rule. She earned a doctorate in psychology/neuropsychology in Poland. In 1989, she was awarded a prestigious American Association of University Women fellowship, which she spent at UCLA's postdoctoral training program in neuropsychology. She later received her US citizenship as an "alien of exceptional abilities" on the basis of her education, research in neuropsychology, and clinical achievements. After her fellowship, she worked for many years as a neuropsychologist at the New Mexico State Hospital in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Since 2003, she worked in private practice in Albuquerque, providing comprehensive and compassionate care for her New Mexico patients.

Her award-winning book, How My Brain Works: A Guide to Understanding It Better and Keeping It Healthy, made her insights about the brain and healthy living available to a wider audience. She also wrote a column in Psychology Today connecting psychological research with everyday concerns to help people live healthier lives. Barbara enjoyed sharing her work through public promotion and podcast interviews.

Barbara was a classically trained mezzo-soprano. She was fluent in four languages. She loved walking New Mexico's trails, and the climate of the high desert cultivated her passion for organic gardening. In 2006, she married Ed Haskin. They enjoyed traveling to Mexico where they took long walks on the beach. Together they built a beautiful home surrounded by flowers, fruit trees, and a plentiful garden.

Barbara was preceded in death by her parents and her son, Norbert. She is survived by her husband, Edgerton Haskin, Jr.

A service will be held at Santa Fe National Cemetery on May 15 at 2 pm