With her daughters and granddaughter at her side, Barbara Jo Vander Wagen experienced the Common Change at 12:00 Midnight, March 31st , 2021. Barbara’s life was anything but common. Born in January 1950 in Michigan, Barbara grew up on and off the Navajo and Zuni reservations. She attended schools across the four corners area, including a one-room schoolhouse in which her grandmother, Wilhelmina, taught. Graduating from Window Rock High school in 1968, and a descendant from a long line of doctors and nurses, Barbara continued in the family tradition and graduated from UNM School of Nursing (Gallup Branch) in 1981. She was always learning. She achieved her BSN and MBA.
Her career blossomed at McKinley General Hospital and subsequently Rehoboth McKinley Christian Hospital. She helped Bill Richardson establish the first dialysis clinics on the reservations and was also named a finalist for Nurse of the Year. She worked in a variety of departments, Emergency, Intensive Care, Dialysis, and, towards the end of her career, in Nursing Education.
Barbara was preceded in death by her father Dr. Robert Charles Vander Wagen, and brother Robert Charles Vander Wagen II. Barbara is survived by her four daughters, Wendy Anne and wife Leanne, Jacquelyn Lea and husband Joseph, Rebecca Laurin, and Paula Marie; two granddaughters, Courtney Jo, and Juniper Laurin, by her mother, Elizabeth Ruth (Betty) Vander Wagen, sisters Claudia Deanne Delaney, Ruth Ellen Broadnax, Glenna Beth Little and brother Norman Francis Vander Wagen, as well as a whole herd of nieces, nephews, and cousins. Barbara was blessed with the best of friends a life could offer. To Kelly, Martha, Lori, and Jane, we thank you for sharing the journey with Barbara. The bonds shared between you are sacred and timeless. Her zest for life, fierce tenacity, immovable stubbornness, and enormous capacity for love made Barbara the warrior she was. She was our rock, and we will miss her more than there are stars in the sky.
Flowers are lovely, but if you would rather, consider donating to your favorite charity instead, or give hand-made items to people who are homeless, or take yourself out for a nice dinner. Do something special for someone, even if that someone is you. That is the best way to honor Barbara.
Dearest friends and family, we have finally worked out the details of mom’s memorial service! Covid restrictions influenced this. The Celebration of the life of Barbara Vander Wagen will be on Saturday, June 12 at 10:00am at the Berardinelli Family Funeral Service, 1399 Luisa St, Santa Fe, NM. Social distancing and masks will be required, per local guidelines. And because mom would want us all to be safe. If you are unable to attend in person, we will be live-streaming the service. There will be more details about that soon.
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