Barbara A. Sower-Luebchow, 69, died Monday, June 23, 2014, in Durango. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, July 10, 2014 at Calvary Presbyterian Church in Bayfield. Following church services, there will be a reception and dinner at the Pine River Senior Center, 111 W. South St. Private burial of ashes will be at the Pine River Cemetery.
Barbara was born Jan. 7, 1945 in Chicago and was soon adopted as the daughter of Kenneth and Laura Sower. The family moved around much due to her father's career as an engineer. They lived near Lake Mead in Nevada; south of San Francisco; in Australia; and most notably, Bayfield. Barbara graduated from Bayfield High School in 1962. Barbara completed one year of nursing school at Mercy Hospital in Denver and returned home where she met Kaye. They were married on July 12, 1964 at Calvary Presbyterian Church in Bayfield.
Due to her husband's career with the U.S. Forest Service, she found herself moving to Dolores, Durango, Bailey and Fairplay and the Black Hills of South Dakota for 18 years. They retired back home to Bayfield in 1992. They purchased her parents' Bayfield home and have lived there since.
Barbara excelled and practiced the skills that made a home for her family. She also worked in the cafeteria department for Bayfield schools for about 10 years after their retirement.
She was a member of Preceptor Beta Upsilon Sorority, a member of the Friends of the Pine River Library and the Bayfield Study Club, and she delivered Meals on Wheels with Kaye.
She is survived by her husband Kaye R. Luebchow of Bayfield; her children and their spouses, Margaret and Mitch Petersen of Spearfish, S.D. and Rusty and Elizabeth Luebchow of Albuquerque; two grandchildren, Zach Petersen and Kayden Luebchow; a brother, Kasey Sower of Deerfield, Kan., and local cousins Jim Sower, Donald Sower, Vernon Sower, and other extended family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents and an adopted brother, Robert W. Sower.
In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to Calvary Presbyterian Church, PO Box 336, Bayfield, CO 81122 or to the Friends of the Pine River Library, PO Box 227, Bayfield, CO 81122.
