Barbara Louise Ririe was born on July 24, 1930

in Magrath, Alberta, Canada. She was the

daughter of Lloyd and Cleo Ririe (the former

Cleo Barbara Jensen), and the granddaughter of

James Boyack Ririe and Elizabeth Ririe (the

former Elizabeth Ann Morgan), and Christian

Jensen Jr. and Allie Jensen (the former Allie

Zittella Rogers), early settlers and homesteaders

in southern Alberta.

Barbara grew up largely in Calgary, Alberta and

had fond memories of riding streetcars, her

father giving her a ride home on his bicycle, and

helping him sell the prize-winning iris bulbs he

raised. She spent large amounts of most of her

summers in Magrath and was especially excited

that the town celebrated her birthday each 24th

of July, which also turned out to be the celebration of the founding of

Magrath as well as Pioneer Day, for the community made up largely of

members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

When she was fifteen, the family moved back to Magrath where Barbara

completed high school. Upon completion of high school Barbara attended

Brigham Young University. She helped support herself by working as a

secretary in the Department of Chemistry and by working at a local radio

station. She loved all things about school. She graduated with a BA in

English, although she had a host of credits in science and math as well.

After graduation Barbara married her high school sweetheart, Alan Robert

Anderson, in the Salt Lake Temple. They were married on June 4, 1952. The

couple relocated to Edmonton while Alan finished a fifth year at the

University of Alberta with degrees in both Education and Agricultural

Science. Their oldest child, Ruth Louise Anderson, was born while they were

in Edmonton.

Barbara and Alan moved back to Magrath where Alan planned to teach high

school and farm. While there, Leslie Ann Anderson, David Laron Anderson

and Alan Richard Anderson were born. Not long after beginning his teaching

career in the Magrath High School, Alan was recruited to become the

Principal and teach for the LDS Seminary in Magrath.

The LDS Seminary and Institute Program afforded Barbara and Alan the

opportunity to pursue advanced degrees at BYU, initially attending over the

summer and then moving to Provo full-time. Barbara and Alan both received

Masters degrees from BYU in 1960, Barbara in English Literature and Alan in

Counseling Psychology. Alan subsequently received his PhD in Counseling

Psychology from BYU. Both taught at BYU for a time. While in Provo studying

and teaching, their fifth child, Michael Paul Anderson was born on a quick

trip back to Magrath.

Barbara and Alan took a sabbatical leave from BYU in 1963-1964 at the

University of Colorado in Boulder, where Alan did post-doctoral work. While

there, Steven Blaine Anderson was born.

Back in Provo at BYU the following year, Barbara, Alan and their 6 children

became naturalized citizens of the US. Douglas Ririe Anderson was born just

after that.

Alan had accepted a position in the graduate school of the University of

Minnesota, so in the fall of 1965, Barbara, Alan and their 7 children moved

across the country. They settled initially in St. Anthony Village, Minnesota

and a year later moved to a home they built in Golden Valley, Minnesota,

both suburbs of Minneapolis. The family’s home base would be Minnesota for

the next 35 years.

While in Minnesota the family were active members of the Minneapolis Stake

of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Barbara served in most

positions imaginable both in their ward (for most of the time, the

Minneapolis 4th Ward) and in the stake. She was the early morning seminary

teacher for 8 years. Her dedication and preparation were legendary. She was

also a devoted genealogist, working in and sometimes leading the staff of

the Genealogy Library many days a week, helping patrons find details of

their ancestors. She became an expert in deciphering Old Swedish and

Middle English scripts and got correspondence degrees in Swedish, English,

Scottish and Danish genealogy. She and her husband also became ordinance

workers in the Chicago Temple after it opened in 1985.

In 1970 Barbara gave birth to her youngest and eighth child, Robert James

Anderson.

In September of 1992, after months of battling an unidentified illness,

Barbara’s husband of 40 years was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic

cancer. He passed away in December of 1992. She continued to live in the

family home in Golden Valley, Minnesota.

In 1997 Barbara said good-bye to Minnesota and moved to Orem, Utah for a

more temperate climate and to be closer to some of her children. It was

wrenching for her to move away from friends of 35 years. But she quickly

involved herself in teaching classes in genealogy in the Division of

Continuing Education at Brigham Young University. She taught classes in

Swedish and English genealogy and on how to use the computer to do

genealogical research. She welcomed her son, Robert, into her home, and

subsequently, Robert and his wife Elizabeth. She also invited Steven and

Colleen and their kids to live there with her for a time. The home in Orem

became the principal gathering place for the family at times in the summer

and over Christmas holidays.

In 2012 Barbara’s daughter Leslie decided to pull herself from sunny

Southern California to live with Barbara in Orem. Tragically, shortly after

moving, Leslie passed away.

In 2015 Barbara’s son Steve and his wife Colleen and their family built a new

home in Lehi and invited Barbara to live with them. Barbara’s mobility and

ability to drive were declining and she was pleased to have an active,

bustling family around her.

And in 2018 her son Robert and his wife Elizabeth invited Barbara to live

with them and their four kids in Saratoga Springs. Barbara lived with them

until May of 2020, when she moved into an apartment in the newly opened

Bellaview Assisted Living community in Lehi. She was one of the first 5

residents to move in and despite Covid restrictions, made great friends and

felt accepted and loved. She was able to be with peers and be a part of

activities in ways that had not been possible for many years. While there she

became famous for having raised sons that arranged for at least one of them

to visit her every day. For the first 6 or 7 months that meant talking on the

phone through a large picture window in the library, Barbara inside next to

the fire and one of her sons outside, sometimes in the sun and sometimes in

the snow.

On February 11, 2022, Barbara passed away peacefully in her sleep. She

had suffered a fall onto a shoulder the day before and her body quickly

began to shut down. At 5:28 pm she moved on.

Barbara was preceded in death by her husband of 40 years, Alan Robert

Anderson, by her oldest child, Ruth Louise Anderson, and by her second

child, Leslie Ann Anderson. She is survived by her six sons, David Laron

Anderson (and his wife, Elizabeth), Alan Richard Anderson (and his wife,

Gail), Michael Paul Anderson, Steven Blaine Anderson (and his wife,

Colleen), Douglas Ririe Anderson (and his wife, Kim), and Robert James

Anderson (and his wife, Elizabeth). She is also survived by 20 grandchildren

and 13 great-grandchildren.

There will be no public gathering or services. Subsequently

Barbara will be interred next to her husband in the Magrath, Alberta town

cemetery.

She was a scholar, a teacher, a leader, a sister, a daughter, a wife, a mother

and a friend. She’s been a widow for almost 30 years, and separated from

her parents for longer. Not any more.

Services

Services Handled By

Memorial Lake Hills Mortuary & Cemetery
10055 South State Street
Sandy, UT

Life Story Info

Post Date

Feb 18, 2022

Personal Info

Age

91
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.....a very remarkable woman

Pat Isom Feb 21, 2022

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