Barbara Engholm

Barbara G. Engholm, 87, formerly of Cedar Rapids, passed away on October 13, 2021, in Naperville, Illinois. Funeral Mass: 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, October 19, 2021, at St. Matthew Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids. Visitation: 9:30-10:30 a.m. in the church's Kearn Hall. Burial: Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Cedar Rapids. Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Cedar Rapids, is caring for Barbara and her family. Friends and extended family unable to join in person may watch the Mass via webcast. A link to the webcast and to share your support and memories with Barbara's family can be found on her tribute wall at www.stewartbaxter.com under obituaries. Remembering Barbara: Barbara was born in Toledo, Iowa on April 12, 1934, to Mabel (n��e Gary) and Francis Hanify. She played clarinet in the band and was a drum majorette. Early jobs included babysitting, being Mother's Helper for her twin cousins, delivering newspapers, detasseling corn, and working in a jewelry store. After high school, she spent a year in Dayton, Ohio, working for the Air Force to save money for college. At Iowa State College she studied home economics, nutrition, and early childhood development, earning a bachelor's degree in Textiles and Clothing. Barb and Ken met while washing dishes together after Sunday night dinner at the St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center across from campus and were married in the summer of 1957 after they had both graduated. They moved to Cedar Rapids and became active in their church, kids' schools, and community while raising six children: Kathy (Jeff), Donna (Norm), Dennis (Kari), Dan (Tawni), Jill (Jennifer), and Carol (Paul). They have twelve grandchildren: Mike (Matthew), Todd (Heather), Andy, Joel, Sarah, Eric, Clare, Matthew, Will, Mark, Ryan, and Julie; and two great-grandchildren: Abigail and Timothy. Of course Barb was very busy. In addition to housework, grocery shopping, childcare, and volunteering, she made time to sew clothes, curtains and other household items, butterfly nets, stuffed animals, and intricate Barbie outfits. She knitted Christmas stockings, winter scarves, and mittens. She was a Room Mother and Camp Fire Girls leader and made sure there were always delicious baked goods on hand for family and friends. She hosted Home Economics Club meetings and kids' slumber parties, donated blood, and volunteered at Mercy Hospital, arranging flowers and making craft items for their gift shop. One of her lasting gifts to her kids was teaching us how to take care of ourselves and our homes, plus sharing a love of making things that are useful, decorative, or both. She made sure we weren't afraid of deep water, spiders, or snakes. Most of all, she loved us all and believed we could become whatever we wanted to be. Barb and Ken enjoyed playing bridge, bicycling, and attending symphony concerts together. After their kids grew up and moved to Washington, Oregon, and Illinois, they took many trips within North America and Europe. When Ken fell ill with cancer, Barb took good care of him until his last breath in 1999. She continued riding her bicycle, baking pies for neighbors, going to concerts in the park, playing in multiple bridge clubs, and lunching with the Collins ladies. She added new activities including quilting, Bible classes, taking Communion to home-bound parishioners, and traveling with her children and other friends. Those trips included a train tour across southwest Canada with Jill, an Alaska cruise with Jill and Jenn, a week exploring Italy with Kathy, and a cross-country road trip with grandson Mike. In her later years, Barb was increasingly affected by dementia and moved to Naperville, IL to be near Jill and Carol and their families. She lived independently for as long as she could before transferring to Memory Care, and finally to Skilled Nursing. Our family is extremely grateful for the loving care she was given by our sisters and her devoted caregivers at The Springs at Monarch Landing. She received many visits from her children and grandchildren over the last weeks of her life and died peacefully in their company on the afternoon of October 13, 2021. We mourn the loss of her presence but rejoice in her new life.