Nov. 29, 1932 - Aug. 5, 2018
Barbara Claire Birrell Webb, loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, teacher and friend, died peacefully of heart failure on August 5, 2018 in Twin Falls, Idaho.
Barbara was born in Salt Lake City and enjoyed a happy childhood with her parents, Don and Merva, and her younger siblings, Marilyn and Richard. She adored children even when she was a child herself.
Whether she looked after her siblings, or children from the neighborhood, she kept them so joyfully busy that they barely noticed their parents were missing.
As a teen, Barbara was a star of the Debate Club. She was fortunate in friends and never lacked for social opportunities. She claimed it was “an innocent time”. But at home, life was not so easy. Don’s health deteriorated, and Merva went to work outside the home at a reduced income. “My mother taught me the value of determined
cheerfulness,” Barbara told us. “It was her attitude that got us to college.”
The University of Utah was a magical place for Barbara. She earned her degree in Political Science and enjoyed new friends and mentors. Then, she met the man she would love for the rest of her life, Lloyd Webb. They married in 1954, after a whirlwind romance, and created another loving family with children, Kevan, Curtis, Carolea and Barry. It’s hardly surprising that she made magnificent wife and mother.
As the children grew, Barbara got restless for a professional life. She went back to school and worked in a private kindergarten as she continued to look after her family. As soon as she qualified for Idaho teacher standards, she was snatched up by Twin Falls School District and embarked upon a long career. She was much beloved as a teacher, as proven by the hugs she received from current and past students alike.
Barbara and Lloyd traveled all over the world, with favorite visits to Ireland, China, Italy and Easter Island. They delighted in their children and grandchildren and each other. It was only when Lloyd got sick that their charmed life lost some of its luster. Barbara was devastated when he died in 2009, but she climbed back into a cheerful state, feeling grateful to have had so much good fortune.
At the end of her life, she especially appreciated her long-time friends, Maurine and Bill Jacobsen, and the good-hearted people who helped her. Without the kindness of her hair stylists, housekeepers, church friends, home repair specialists, her son, Curtis, and her granddaughter, Katherine, she would not have been able to live in her beautiful house until her last day.
Funeral services for Barbara will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, August 10, 2018 at the 5th Ward LDS Church, 421 Maurice St. North, Twin Falls with Bishop Jon Conder conducting. A private family burial will take place at Sunset Memorial Park. A viewing for family and friends will take place on Friday morning from 10:00 a.m. until 10:50 a.m. at the LDS Church.
Services are under the direction of White Mortuary, Chapel by the Park, Twin Falls.
Condolences may be left for the family by visiting www.whitemortuary.com.
FAMILIA
Don BirrellFather (deceased)
Merva BirrellMother (deceased)
Lloyd WebbHusband (deceased)
Kevan WebbSon
Curtis WebbSon
Carolea WebbDaughter
Barry WebbSon
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
v.1.9.5