Barbara J. Weslander

Barb grew up in Spooner, Wisconsin. She attended St. Francis de Sales School for grades 1-8 and then graduated from Spooner High School in 1966. Her fondest memories were with brothers and sister fishing off of the old Dam. At age 12 she got her 1st horse, Penny from Mr. Feeney who lived 5 miles from home. She rode her bike in the rain, snow or shine every day to care for her horse. Barb attended Rice Lake Community College for one year and then University of Wisconsin River Falls and received her BS in 1970. She married Duane Weslander on August 1, 1970. When Duane asked Barb to marry him, she asked him, “Can I have horses?”

Barb taught in the Randolph Public Schools System in Randolph, Minnesota and Counselor at Laura Baker School in Northfield, Minnesota where she worked with students with Prader Willi Syndrome. She brought clients to her Farm for birthdays to pet the animals, ride horses, hay wagon rides and to eat burgers and hot dogs.

She was a member of the Minnesota Distance Riding Association and raced her Arabian Horses in 5 Midwestern States 50 to 100 miles in a day.

She and Duane moved to Goodyear, Arizona in 2001 near Estrella Mountain Regional Park where she could horseback ride daily. Barb taught grades 2-4 at Union Elementary School until 2011. She was a member of Rio Salado Mounted Sheriff’s Posse Search and Rescue. She was also a member of Citizens for Estrella Mountain Regional Park. She enjoyed Goodyear Rec Center activities. Barb loved to travel and after she retired, she and Duane and their son, Gary toured China. She has sailed the world on 30 cruises with Duane and sometimes Gary or her sister, Colleen. When Barb entered the room, everyone knew it. She will be missed by all who knew her.

Surviving are her husband, Duane; daughter, Beth (Larry) Frye; two sons, Brian and Gary Weslander; sister, Colleen Anderson; three brothers, John, Gerald and Michael Anderson; two grandchildren, Eric and Cory Weslander.

Private services will be held at a later date.