Barbara Katzer, age 72, passed away peacefully with family at her side on August 24, 2023, at the Ferris Hospice Care Center, in Grand Junction, Colorado, after a long and difficult battle with cancer.
Barbara was the fifth of six children born to Ralph and Alice Hilbish on September 22, 1950, in Council Grove Kansas. Barbara attended school in Bushong Kansas and graduated from Northern Heights High School in Allen, Kansas in 1968. After high school she attended secretarial school in Emporia Kansas but focused her time and talent on her family until joining the District 51 Food Service team in 1988, where she worked for 18 years.
Damian and Barbara were joined in marriage on November 8, 1969, in Emporia Kansas and they were blessed with three sons.
Barbara was an incredible human being with an enormous heart. She was blessed with a warm and welcoming personality which was a perfect match for her love of visiting and getting to know people. Barb was equally renowned for her delicious cooking, which she always made in large portions to feed her hungry boys, their friends, and so many others. She especially enjoyed sharing her culinary talents with her church family at Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Barbara also loved sports, whether it was bowling and softball when she was younger, or cheering for her kids, grandkids and great grandkids during their numerous and varied sporting events. Her love of competition was also evident in the hotly contested board games and dominoes that she cherished sharing with all of her family and friends.
Finally, Barb loved camping, it was a passion that she a Damian shared their entire time together and one that took them all over the United States and brought them so many dear friends. Despite battling rheumatoid arthritis for nearly 30 years she was still an accomplished “truck” driver and could wrangle a camp trailer with the best of them.
Barbara is preceded in death by her son Greg; her parents; and her bothers, Wayne and Olin Hilbish.
Barbara is survived by her husband of 53 years Damian; sons Dee Jay (Becci) of Seaford, Virginia and Curtis (Happy) of Grand Junction, Colorado; grandchildren, Taylor (Sarah), Austin, Makenzie, Aurora (Luis) Vasquez, Danika, Jack, Kobie, Grace, Karsten and Haven; 4 great grandchildren; sister Marilyn (Phil) Kirk of Admire, Kansas; and brother Clayton (Jane) Hilbish of Grand Junction, Colorado.
A visitation will be held on Friday, September 1, 2023 from 6-8:00 PM at Martin Mortuary. A funeral mass will be held at 10:00 AM, Saturday, September 2, 2023 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church followed by a committal service 1:30 PM at Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
