'Til We Meet Again, Barbara

Barbara Sander Randall Klein
January 16, 1923 - March 16, 2012

We laid my dear friend Barbara Klein to rest on Saturday.  Boy, I'm going to miss her!  She was a light in my life and a good friend.  I could always count on Barbara for chicken soup when I was sick, and a partner in crime when there was a program. lesson, or other fun to be had.

Maybe it's hard for some people to understand how you can have a good friend who is older than your parents. (Or, older than my parents would have been if they were still around.)  I think when you find someone wonderful like Barbara in your life, well, age just doesn't matter a bit.

This was taken long before the service began.  Later, the chapel was filled to overflowing with people and flowers

What can I say about Barbara?  She was an amazing woman.  She bore four children, buried one of them and her husband (both within a short time of each other), raised a couple of motherless grandkids, served as a Ward Relief Society President, and as a Stake Relief Society President - for 11 years! - and was an example of loving service.

Barbara was still teaching the adult Sunday School class in our ward up until last fall. She was sharp as can be, and had a good sense of humor.

Barbara was interested in people and the world around her, and certainly interesting.  She decided to go to college after she had her family and earned a degree in education.  Her love of books led to her founding a women's book club back in the 1950s.  Belles Lettres is still going strong today.

Barbara was an avid, and excellent, quilter.  Her children decided it was fitting to put some of these wonderful quilts on display for the funeral.

Barbara's Priceless Quilts were on display

Then they mentioned that this was just a tiny fraction of the quilts Barbara had actually made in her lifetime.  Most of the beautiful quilts, lovingly and painstakingly made, were given away throughout the years.

These are just a small sample of all the quilts she pieced in her day

In addition, Barbara was a proficient seamstress.  She was exacting in her execution of any sewing project, as well as an artist.  According to her grandchildren, her clothing never looked "homemade".

They were all beautifully done

The sheer volume of quilts on display blew me away.  Although I'm not a quilter, or a seamstress, I am well aware how long these things take to make.  The hours involved in some of these, alone, are enough to make someone shy away from such a task.  But Barbara never shied away from anything difficult. In the same way she created beautiful quilts, she created a beautiful life - with strength and courage.

Family and Friends after the service

Vocal Soloist Ginny and her husband

There were two beautiful vocal soloists who performed as part of the service: Barbara's good friend Patsy Arrington's son performed "The Greatest of These Is Love".  Patsy passed away a few years ago.  (As I watched Bradley perform, I thought, Oh!  I wonder if Barbara and Patsy have seen each other again yet?!  I'm sure there were many reunions this week!)  Another friend, Ginny, sang "Going Home".

Barbara loved good music.  In fact, when she decided, at age 88, to pen a little play for the Relief Society birthday celebration, she asked Ginny to supply the music for the event.  The two were good friends.

Barbara and the cast of "Nauvoo Women"

Barbara didn't just write a play, she starred in it, and made the costumes. It's funny, but I never quite realized how short Barbara was until I saw the pictures of us together (above).  She was just such a wonderful and strong  personality that it was easy to forget how small and frail her body really was.

I tried catching some photos of people milling about, and they didn't turn out as nicely as I had hoped.  I hope everyone forgives me.  I know it was a stressful event for the family.

Barbara had 4 children, 17 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.  She is survived by her 2nd husband, Bill, who is ill and could not attend the service.

I'll love you forever, my dear dear friend.