Barbara N. Tweto, 82

Barbara N. Tweto "went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" April 22, 2009, in Mesa, Ariz., at age 82. She was born in Missoula, to Robert and Edna Wingo on April 27, 1926. She graduated from Missoula County High School in 1944 and earned a degree as a registered nurse from Deaconess Hospital in Spokane, in 1947. She belonged to the Cadette Nurses Corps.

On Sept. 14, 1947, she married her high school sweetheart, Donald J. Tweto, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church. The couple made their home in Missoula and raised two daughters and twin sons.

Barbara was a stay-at-home mother who nursed all the neighborhood children's cuts and bruises. She volunteered her time and caring heart to numerous organizations including the American Cancer Society, PTA, Christian Women's Club and the Freedom Library, as well as serving as the precinct head for elections.

She was an active member of the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church in Missoula and later Swan Chapel at Swan Lake. She was an industrious and talented woman who read, gardened, knit sweaters, sewed, made crafts and beautiful handmade quilts. She was also an athletic outdoors woman who enjoyed golfing, snow skiing, hiking, and water skiing at the family's summer cabin on Flathead Lake.

In 1978, Barb and Don made their permanent residence at Yellow Bay in the beautiful house she designed herself and their son Doug built. She was a tireless hostess and ski boat driver for her children and all the summer visitors to the lake. In 1997 Barb and Don became 'snowbirds' and began spending winter in Mesa, at their home in Velda Rose, returning to Montana for six months at Yellow Bay.

Barbara will be remembered as the sweetest, kindest person and will be missed by all who knew her.

She is survived by her beloved husband of 61 years, Don; and daughters, Gayle Cleveland of Stevensville, and Carol Lawrence and her husband, Stan, of Laramie, Wyo.; and sons, Douglas and David Tweto, both of Bigfork; sister, Audrey Feda, and husband, Jerry, of Glasgow; and brother, Gene Wingo, and wife, Mary Jane, of Turah. Barbara had seven grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

A memorial reception was held April 28 at Velda Rose clubhouse in Mesa, and a service will be held in Montana in July when the family can gather at Yellow Bay.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Gideons or Swan Chapel.