Barbara Jane Barlow-Ponder

Barbara was born on March 18, 1932, in Dexter, MI, the daughter of Charles and Mary (Farrell) Wiedman. On June 18, 1954, she married Robert M. Barlow at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Chelsea, MI. Together, they shared 41 years of marriage until Robert’s passing on December 13, 1995.

A lifelong resident of Washtenaw County, Barbara was a faithful member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Dexter, MI. She worked for many years as a librarian in the Dexter School System before retiring in 1985.

Barbara enjoyed sewing, golfing, reading, gardening, and the many other pursuits she found at her family’s second home in Northern Michigan, where they spent summers on Manistee Lake.

On December 4, 2004, Barbara married her second husband, William M. Ponder, Sr., of Kalkaska, MI, at St. Mary’s Church in Kalkaska. They enjoyed 17 years of marriage together until William’s passing in 2021.

Barbara is survived by her daughters, Cindy (Dave) Kercher of Prineville; Sandra (Herbert) Klein of Ann Arbor, MI; and Tina (John) Raiford of Grayling, MI; and her son, Jeffrey (Terri) Barlow of Chelsea, MI. She is also survived by 17 grandchildren, 41 great-grandchildren, and 6 great-great-grandchildren.

In addition to her husbands, Robert and William, Barbara was preceded in death by her parents; her son, Bradley Barlow; her granddaughter, Amy Klein; her grandson, Michael Kercher; her brothers, John Wiedman and Phillip Wiedman; her half-sister, Shirley (Thomas) Taylor; and her half-brother, Charles (Rita) Wiedman.

At this time, plans have not been finalized for a celebration of Barbara’s life. Details will be announced at a later date.