Barbara Helene Meierhenry

Longtime Las Vegas resident Barbara Helene Meierhenry, 85, passed away peacefully at the home of her daughter on January 20, 2025. Born in Nebraska in 1939 to Vern and Martha Carey, Barbara met her lifelong love and future husband, Dwight Meierhenry, when they both were in 7th grade together at Irving Middle School in Lincoln, Nebraska. Dwight has always said it was "love at first sight" when he first laid eyes on her at the tender age of 12. Barbara was popular and very social throughout her school years and remained close to many of her classmates for decades after her graduation from Lincoln High School in 1957. In her freshman year at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Barbara became a member of the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, and in 1961, she earned her bachelor's degree in education.

Two days before Christmas in 1961, Barbara and Dwight married, and the pair embarked on their new life together. Their first home was in San Diego, CA, where Dwight served as a lieutenant in the United States Navy and completed his dental residency. By the mid-60's, the couple had made Las Vegas their home and remained Las Vegans until Dwight's passing in 2017. In their early Vegas days, Barbara taught elementary school to support her husband while he was starting and building up his dental practice. Once retired from teaching, Barbara became a longtime member of the Junior league of Las Vegas, a non-profit organization of women that aims to improve the community through volunteerism. Barbara helped raise money and awareness for many important causes affecting the citizens of Las Vegas throughout the 1970's and 80's. She also had the honor of being appointed by the Governor of Nevada to serve on the Nevada State Museum Board for several years. As much as Barbara loved teaching and volunteering in the community, she has always said the area of her life where she derived the most joy was being a wife and mother. Barbara and Dwight had three children together, Lynn, Kurt and Scott, and she was a loving and dedicated homemaker for her family.

Barbara will be remembered by many for her beauty and grace, her community volunteerism, hosting wonderful parties at her home, her commitment to her husband and children and her inspiring personal strength in the face of great tragedy, as she lost two of her three children and her beloved husband, Dwight, during the last decade of her life.

Barbara Meierhenry is survived by her daughter, Lynn Saylor, son-in-law Skip Saylor, granddaughter Marcy, grandson John (spouse Dominique) and 2 great-grandchildren, all of California. Her beloved only sibling, Ron Carey, nieces Jennifer and Kelley, and great-nephew, Tyler, all of Michigan, also survive her.

A visitation for Barbara will be held Friday, February 21, 2025, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Palm Eastern Mortuary, 7600 S Eastern Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89123. A funeral service will occur Saturday, February 22, 2025, at 2:00 PM at Palm Eastern Mortuary.