West Des Moines
Pamela Price Barbour and her husband were on their way to a vacation in Clearwater, Florida with their daughters and grandchildren when Pamela suffered a medical emergency in Columbus, Indiana. She was flown to Indianapolis where she continued her fight for four more weeks. She passed away on Monday, July 9th, at 10:00 a.m. at the age of 69.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held 11 a.m. Monday at McLaren's Resthaven Chapel with burial at Glendale Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at McLaren's with a prayer service at 5 p.m.
Pamela was born on October 14, 1948 in Knoxville, Iowa. She had a happy childhood in Knoxville, but she moved along with her family to Mitchellville at the age of 14. A year later, her family moved to Des Moines, where Pamela would spend the rest of her life.
Pamela met her husband, soulmate, and best friend, Thomas Compiano, while studying at the University of Iowa in 1967 when they were 18 years old. After a three and half year courtship, they were married on November 21st, 1970. Pam began to teach Spanish to middle school students. However, her true vocation started in 1973 when she and Tom had their first of four children, Christy. Pam devoted the rest of her life to her family. She became a stay at home mother. She eventually had four children, Christy, Kerry, Lindsay, and Tommy. This is where Pam shined the brightest and found her true calling in life. She placed her family above everything else. She dedicated her life to being the most compassionate, loving, sympathetic, caring, giving, and kind mother and wife. Pamela’s kindness did not stop with her most immediate family. She loved every creature, especially those that were in need of the most attention. She taught everyone she met by example how to be a kind person. She loved her animals, which came in every form, from dogs to cats, fish and rabbits, frogs and hamsters. There was not a creature that she didn’t love, and she was always the favorite of all her animals.
After her children were raised, Pam began to work in the family’s apartment business. She shined at this job because of her kind and gentle nature. She was always compassionate to her tenants, and always looked out for the down trodden and people who were low on their luck. She extended her faith to people in countless ways, and always tried to see the best in everyone. She never met anyone that had no value. Pam was always able to find the best in everyone she met, and she touched countless lives.
She will always be remembered and missed by all those she loved and touched. Pamela will be joining her beloved mother and father, Alex Barbour and Lillian Price Barbour and her in-laws, John and Kay Compiano, in heaven, as well as brother-in-law, Rex Carter; sister-in-law, Sue Barbour; and her dear friend, Ted Boecker. Her legacy is her family. She is survived by her husband, Thomas Steven Compiano of West Des Moines; children, Christy (John) Compiano Heitzman of Des Moines; Kerry (Kevin) Beveridge of Nashville, Tennessee; Lindsay (Eric) Marquardt of West Des Moines and Tommy Compiano of West Des Moines; six beloved grandchildren: AJ, Adam, Andy, Zoe, Thomas, and Vivien; three siblings, Penny Carter, Alex Barbour and Paula (Rick) Bennett; and a nephew, Kevin Carter.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be given to St. Jude or the Animal Rescue League of Iowa.
