Barbara and Mother, Alma Joy Swanson Jeanne Stotts

Barbara Jeanne Stotts (Gentry) was born January 26, 1945 in Eureka, California to Orral "Gene" Gentry and Dorothy Barbara Gatliff. She passed over to the loving arms of her Creator on December 29, 2011 at St. Joseph Hospital after a long and courageous battle with lung disease. Barbara lived her entire life here in Eureka, starting with her "nanny's" white houses down at 3rd and "J" streets. She and her brother Jack had many adventures in this neighborhood in their grade school days, not the very least of which included rides home by the police in their pajamas, a shed, some matches and a garbage man who saved the day! During this time, her sweet "Mamma Joy" came into their lives. While not the mother of her birth, she became and would always remain, the mother of her heart. (It's not surprising that they chose to take their journeys to Heaven together, just three days apart.) In the spring of 1958, Barbara first laid eyes on the love of her life, Donald Ray Stotts. She thought he was the most handsome man she'd ever seen and as he watched her walk home from high school every day from the apartment he rented from her daddy. He confidently told his sisters, "See that girl right there? That's the girl I'm going to marry!" As always, Donald meant what he said, and on June 18, 1961 they were married. Barbara continued her high school education and graduated from the Eureka High School night school program in 1962. She worked early in their marriage at the shipping and receiving department of Sears until her daughter Tahni Jeanne, the joy of her life, came along in April 1971. She cherished being a stay at home mom for several years and embraced the idea of working alongside Donald in their own entrepreneurial business when they started Bien Padre, Inc. in 1974 along with their life long friends Logan and Jan Ralls. Barbara worked the next 25 years in their business, handling all of the bookkeeping and office responsibilities, alongside her partner, her love, her Donald Ray until they sold the business in 1989 and retired. She didn't know it at the time, but her retirement would shortly evolve into a full-time grandparenting job! How joyful she was when her little Mikey came along in August 1991 and her Marisa "Reesie Peach" in 1993 and much later her Mallory Dawn "Meepers" in 2000. Her daughter and her grandchildren were truly the focus of her life as anyone who knew her could attest. After Donald passed away in 1995, she began attending church at First Assembly of God in Eureka along with Mamma Joy, Tahni, Michael and the grandkids and added to her family with many new dear friends. She was very active at the church, working in the office, making coffee at service time, and acting as a church board member for several years. Her attendance was lessened as her health diminished but the friendships she forged definitely continued beyond the walls of the church. In recent years, she spent a lot of time with Mamma Joy and the kids and they could usually be found at a table at the Chalet House of Omelets on just about any given day. And again, they were loved and treated like family. Most recently, her biggest source of pride was to take her great-grandchildren Jackson and Sophia Marie to the Chalet to show them off! In fact, the only Christmas present she was able to open this year, was a photo album featuring Sophia & Jackson which her granddaughter-in-law Amy made special for her. Barbara was a beautiful, gentle, loving and giving lady for her entire life and will be dearly missed by all who knew her. Barbara has now joined in heaven all who preceded her on her journey: parents Gene Gentry and Joy Gentry (Swanson); father- in- law William "Bill" Stotts; brothers-in-law Billy Stotts and Gary Stotts; sister-in-law Betty Stotts; and her beloved husband Donald Ray Stotts. Barbara is survived by: her brother and his wife, Jack and Nancy Gentry of Trinity Center, CA; daughter and son-in-law Tahni Jeanne and Charles Fredrick Morris of Eureka, CA; former son-in-law Michael J. Campbell, Sr. of Eureka; grandson Michael Joseph Campbell, Jr. and his wife Amy; granddaughters Marisa Elizabeth Campbell and Mallory Dawn Campbell-Byrd; and her great-grandchildren Jackson and Sophia Marie Campbell. Please join us in a celebration of Barbara's life at a memorial service for her and "Mamma Joy" to be held at Pierce Mortuary on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 11:00 am. Pastor Tom Galovich will be officiating and all family and friends are welcome to attend. To leave condolences for the family please visit www.piercemortuarychapels.com Care is under the direction of Pierce Mortuary, Eureka, California.