Heaven welcomed home a special angel on Nov. 12, 2021 with the passing of Barbara Gronquist in Las Vegas at the age of 76.
Barbara was born in San Francisco on Aug. 1, 1945 to Roy and Wanda Davis.
They moved to Irrigon in 1952 when Barbara was 7. She graduated from Riverside High School in nearby Boardman 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 degree in secretarial science, and then worked as a legal secretary in a Pendleton law firm.
Keith and Barbara married on Oct. 16, 1965 at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church in Hermiston during his senior year at the University of Portland. Barbara also worked as a legal secretary in a law firm in downtown Portland after they married.
Following Keith’s graduation in May 1966, he had a four-year commitment as an officer in the United States Air Force. In September 1966, Keith and Barbara set out on their Air Force journey together 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 – their first real home as a married couple, both children were born there, and 22 years later son Brian graduated from the University of Texas. Daughter Mindi graduated from Southern Illinois University two years earlier.
After the four-year commitment was completed, Keith and Barbara decided they would go a little longer with the USAF since they had enjoyed their time up to that point. Before they knew it, 26 years had passed.
While there were many challenges Barbara had to face by herself over the years due to Keith’s extensive travel away from home as a security and law enforcement inspector totaling four years, she rose to every occasion. It has often been said that being a military spouse ain’t for sissies. Notwithstanding her kind, gentle and unassuming nature, Barbara was no sissy!
Overall they had a wonderful experience during that period of their lives together, traveling to and living in places they may never have experienced otherwise, and meeting so many wonderful people, many of whom are friends to this day.
After Austin, Keith’s assignments took the family to U.S. bases at or near Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Hampton, Va., Alamogordo, N.M., Belleville, Ill. (twice), Washington, D.C. and Las Vegas. He was also selected to be an exchange officer with the British Royal Air Force in England for two years, 1979-81, a premier special assignment that was a treat for the entire family.
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 they got older, and as time went on, she became involved the Officers’ Wives Clubs (OWC) and other activities at various bases, and was asked to be on the OWC board at one.
Keith’s later assignments to Illinois and Washington, D.C. presented Barbara with some opportunities she was interested in pursuing and finally had the time for working for Estee Lauder Cosmetics at some of the high-end department stores in St. Louis, Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Then she put her administrative education, skills and experience to work by joining the Federal Civil Service System. First up was when Keith was assigned to Andrews AFB, Md., 1984-88. There, Barbara was hired as a secretary in the Air National Guard Support Center headquarters.
Following Andrews, Keith and Barbara then went back for a second assignment at Scott AFB and resided in O’Fallon, Ill. There, Barbara accepted an administrative position at the Wing Safety Office in 1988 and then, on promotion, to a secretary position in the Logistics Division at Headquarters Air Force Communications Command, also at Scott.
Following Andrews, Keith and Barbara then went to Nellis AFB in Las Vegas in 1991, where Keith was assigned as the Security and Law Enforcement Group commander. He retired as a colonel the following year, and was offered a position with the city of Las Vegas as a court administrator. He retired again 18 years later in 2010.
When they first got to Nellis, Barbara was offered an administrative position with the Family Support Center, where she enjoyed working for several years. Then daughter Mindi and her husband Jim Cooley, who had also moved to Las Vegas shortly after their graduation from the University of Southern Illinoi, had the first of their three sons in 1997. Also at that time, Mindi began a master’s degree program in elementary education at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. When Mindi started student teaching as part of her degree program, Barbara couldn’t resist the temptation of getting her hands on those grandbabies, so the offer of her expert child-care services was eagerly accepted. She played an instrumental role in the early development of each of the grandsons. If the granddaughters (Brian’s family) hadn’t lived so far away, she would have eagerly jumped at the chance to play a daily role in nurturing them that she was so good at providing. Nevertheless, Brian, his wife and daughters made regular visits per year, allowing Barbara to spend quality time with them.
So, Barbara retired in 2000 as the chief of administration in the Nellis AFB Family Support Center after 14 years in the Federal Civil Service System to become a full-time grandma, or “Mimi” as she is lovingly referred to by family.
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.
Barbara’s life was sadly cut short after nine years of suffering the ravages of Alzheimer’s. The only comfort in her loss is the knowledge that she’s now at peace in a better place where we will be reunited.
She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Keith; daughter, Mindi Cooley (Jim); son, Brian (Nora); grandsons, Ian, Brian and Sean; granddaughters, Erin, Leah and Ana; sisters, Wanda and Pat; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents and older sister, Sandra.
Barbara will be laid to rest at the Riverview Cemetery in Boardman on April 29, 2022 at 3 p.m.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of local arrangements.
