Barbara Ann Kimbrough

barbara kimbrough

Barbara Ann was born on Sunday, February 18, 1934 in Loveland, Colorado. The first child of William Milton Johnson and Helen Ann Sargent-Johnson, they came to Colorado from farm families in Missouri, looking for new opportunities during the Great Depression. Her father found employment as an auto mechanic in the Loveland area, and during the summers worked with blasting crews to build the Trail Ridge Road Highway above Estes Park. When Barbara was in the third grade, the family, now including a younger brother Billy, moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming where Milt secured employment as a boilermaker with the Union Pacific Railroad.

Graduating from Cheyenne High School in 1952, Barbara worked in a record-keeping, clerical position for the Wyoming State Highway Department, setting aside a portion of her paycheck to assist her parents with a down payment for a single family residence. The Cheyenne Methodist Church was a big part of her life - and it was at the church she met an airman and military Chaplain's assistant from Mississippi, Barry Kimbrough. Barry was stationed at F.E. Warren Air Force base in Cheyenne. They were married in Cheyenne on September 3, 1955. Dad was discharged and they subsequently moved to Denver where Barry had been accepted to continue his post-college graduation studies at the Iliff School of Theology, while mom secured employment as a bookkeeper with the Colorado Woolgrowers Association. Dad became a Methodist Minister, mom the minister's wife, and they welcomed their first born in 1957. Less than a week later, dad began his first full-time charge as a pastor between the towns of Lovell and Deaver, Wyoming. A few years later, dad accepted his second position as an Associate pastor back at the Cheyenne First Methodist Church. By brother Terence Alan was welcomed into our family in 1961, just a few days before the family moved to Lander, Wyoming.

1964 brought a move to Englewood, Colorado. 1972 to Longmont and 1986 to Littleton, Colorado. Barbara rejoined the paying workforce in 1979, first with the Boulder County Clerk and Recorder's Office in the License Plate division, and then in a similar position with Arapahoe County after their relocation to Littleton. Barbara was always active in the local church, and at the District and Conference levels, serving as President of the Rocky Mountain United Methodist Minister's Wives Association in 1972/73.

Growing up in a family that was profoundly affected by those Depression years, Barbara always had a frugality and economical thriftiness in her make-up. She vividly remembered walking home from the market in Loveland, accidentally dropping a 5-cent bottle of milk on the way, as she knew that meant the family would simply have to do without milk for several days. Even after Barry, her husband of 49 years, passed in 2005, her need to "use things up, till they were gone" continued. My wife, Valerie, and I were helping Barbara clean out some of dad's things, when Val held up a box of diabetic testing supplies and asked if she could throw them away. "No, we should keep those" replied Barbara, "just in case I ever develop Diabetes".

What was born out of necessity, (she recycled before it became fashionable), developed into a great art. Mom was magic with a needle, thread, cloth and a Singer Sewing machine. In those earlier family years, she made most of her own dresses and blouses. Flannel Christmas pajamas for all. Later years it was the entire Wedding gown for my fiancee-wife, Valerie. Two months ago, it was a throw blanket stitched entirely from the Napoleon Dynamite tee-shirt collection of Barbara's grandson, Austin. Out of necessity came works of art: as the quilt here upon the casket will attest.

Mom was an avid reader - John Grisham being her favorite of the last few years. A wonderful cook, she passed her skills to her sons. Kind, compassionate and loving-putting the needs of others ahead of her own. After her recent stroke, though verbal communication was difficult, she still found ways to express her love to her family.

Barbara Ann Kimbrough: daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and friend. We thank our Lord for the opportunity to know you - that you graced our loves - we love you!

Barbara is preceded in death by her husband Barry. Mother of Kevin (Valerie) and Terry Kimbrough. Grandmother of Chelsea and Austin.

Services Bullock Colonial Chapel Tuesday, April 8, 2008 at 11:00 a.m.. Private family interment will take place at Fort Logan National Cemetery.


Preceded in death by her husband Barry. Mother of Kevin (Valerie) and Terry Kimbrough.

Services Bullock Colonial Chapel Tuesday, April 8, 2008 at 11:00 a.m.. Private family interment will take place at Fort Logan National Cemetery.

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