Barbara Joan Gronquist

Barbara was born in San Francisco August 1, 1945 to Roy and Wanda Davis. They moved to Irrigon Oregon in 1952 when Barbara was seven. She graduated from Riverside High School in nearby Boardman OR in 1963. It was there that she met her high school sweetheart and future husband, Keith Gronquist, from Boardman.

Following her high school graduation she attended Blue Mountain Community College, earning an Associate’s Degree in Secretarial Science, and then worked as a Legal Secretary for a Pendleton OR law firm.

Keith and Barbara married October 16, 1965 at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church in Hermiston OR during Keith’s senior year at the University of Portland. Barbara also worked as a Legal Secretary for a law firm in downtown Portland after they married.

The Viet Nam war was still raging when Keith graduated in May 1966. He chose to serve as an officer in the United States Air Force through the ROTC program at the university, and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant upon graduation.

In September 1966, Keith and Barbara set out on their Air Force journey with Keith’s first assignment…Bergstrom Air Force Base (AFB) in Austin Texas. This turned out to be a very special chapter in their 56-year life-story together, as it was their first real home as a married couple and both children were born there.

Their journey continued together during Keith’s 26-year military career, living in Florida (Hurlburt AFB), Virginia (Langley AFB), New Mexico (Holloman AFB), Illinois (Scott, AFB), England (RAF Upavon), Washington DC (Andrews AFB), and finally Nevada (Nellis AFB since 1991), where he retired as a Colonel in 1992.

In the very early years of this journey together, much of Barbara’s time and effort was devoted to loving, caring for and nurturing young Mindi and Brian. As the children got older, Barbara returned to the workforce, employed by Estee Lauder Cosmetics at some of the high-end department stores in St Louis, Washington D.C. and Baltimore. She then held numerous positions within the Federal Civil Service System.

After 14 years as a Civil Service employee, she retired in 2000 as the Chief of Administration in the Nellis AFB (Las Vegas) Family Support Center to become a full-time grandma, or “Mimi” as she is lovingly referred to by family. She cared for her three young grandsons when daughter Mindi started teaching school. She played an instrumental role in the early development of each of them.

Located in another state, son Brian, his wife and daughters, made regular visits per year, allowing “Mimi” to spend quality time with them, as well. Being a grandmother was one of her greatest joys.

Additionally, Barbara pursued many of her interests and passions, such as scrapbooking, going to movies and theater productions, crafting, cruising with Keith in his ’64 Sting Ray, Bunco, book/birthday clubs, card making and spending time with her two Italian Bolognese dogs, Bella and Sophie.

Barbara was well known by the countless people she befriended over the years as a selfless person of uncommon kindness…always looking out for the feelings of others. Trademark Barbara.

She was preceded in death by her parents and older sister Sandra, and is survived by her husband Keith of 56 years; daughter Mindi Cooley (Jim); Son Brian (Nora); grandsons Ian, Brian and Sean; granddaughters Erin, Ana, and Leah; sisters Wanda and Pat; Sister-in-Law Karen Clough, and several cousins, nieces and nephews.

A visitation for Barbara will be held Saturday, December 11, 2021 from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Palm Cheyenne Mortuary, 7400 West Cheyenne Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89129. A funeral service will occur Saturday, December 11, 2021 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM, 7400 West Cheyenne Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89129. A reception will occur Saturday, December 11, 2021 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM, 7400 West Cheyenne Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89129.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Barbara's memory may be made to Alzheimer's Foundation of America, https://alzfdn.org/support-us/donate/.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.palmcheyenne.com for the Gronquist family.