c.l. and barbara separated for the last time, with barbara moving with vaughn to buffalo, new york, and leaving franklin with the couple's four other children. the couple never divorced. according to a biographer, nick salvatore of cornell university, barbara made periodic trips to detroit to visit her children and the children traveled to new york to visit her during summer vacations. barbara died of a heart attack in 1952 at the age of 34. her husband did not attend her funeral.