Barbara Lucille Fosbery, 90
Barbara Lucille Fosbery, 90, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2005, at the Immanuel Lutheran Home in Kalispell.
She was born on Aug. 21, 1915, on a homestead near Camp Crook, S.D.
Her parents, Charles and Myrtle (Jennings) Ripley raised her along with two younger brothers, Cecil and Walter. Their growing years were spent on cattle ranches in South Dakota and wheat farms in the Flathead Valley. Barbara's schooling was completed through high school in Kalispell.
On Aug. 26, 1933, she married Roy Fosbery at the family ranch in Camp Crook. They started their life together running a saw mill in the hills around the ranching community. The depression of the '30s caused them to relocate for a time to the state of Washington. In 1936, they moved permanently to the Flathead Valley.
While Roy was engaged in logging for the next 30 years, Barbara began working for Flathead Commercial, a clothing store on Kalispell's Main Street. When it was purchased in the 1950s and became Buttrey's Department Store, Barbara continued to work there until her retirement in the 1970's. Managing the baby department was the position she was most remembered for.
Barbara's life was spent helping people, loving and caring for her family. She devoted countless hours during World War II doing Red Cross work. In the 1950s she was part of a team of ladies asked by the government to watch for enemy aircraft coming into the Flathead Valley.
Teaching Sunday school in her church was another love of her life. She was a member of the Kalispell's First Baptist Church.
She enjoyed life most when she was fishing, canning, playing pinochle, raising flowers, preparing big dinners for her family, and especially watching anything her granddaughters were involved in.
Everyone that knew Barb knew her life centered on devotion to her family. Raising their son, Terry, and being close to whatever her three granddaughters, Jamie, Kelly and Lyndsey did, meant the world to her.
A relationship and love developed between Barb and her daughter-in-law, Judy, especially in her later years that went beyond love. Barb depended on Judy's care and support to her last breath.
Barb will always be remembered for her laugh and the beautiful white hair she had from age 19 on.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Roy, and her two brothers, Cec and Walt.
Barbara is survived by her son, Terry and his wife, Judy, of Kalispell; her three granddaughters, Kelly Fosbery of Tyler, Texas, Jamie Fosbery, a graduate student at Texas A & M University in College Station, Texas, and Lyndsey Toce and her husband, Brian, of Grapevine, Texas, and especially by their son, Jacob, Barbara's only great-grandchild. She was blessed by meeting him at her 90th birthday party.
Private graveside services have already taken place. A memorial service to celebrate Barbara's life will be announced at a later date.
Johnson Mortuary and Crematory is caring for Barbara's family.