Funeral Mass
331 E South Temple St, Salt Lake City, UT 84111Tuesday Dec 30, 2025: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
1933 ~ 2025
Tuesday Dec 30, 2025: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Barbara Ann Layden (née Campbell) passed away peacefully in her home on Christmas morning, December 25, 2025. She is survived by her children, Scott (Marsha), Michael (Jaime), Kate (Buzz), her 11 grandchildren, and her 9 great-grandchildren.
Barbara was born in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, on October 21, 1933. She settled in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1979, where she was a pillar of her community for over four decades. She received a two-year certificate in Hotel Management at Georgia State and a counseling degree at the University of Utah. She used the latter to volunteer with the Salvation Army to help those suffering from alcohol and drug abuse. For a program marked by anonymity, Barbara was committed to making sure people never felt alone.
Anyone who knew Barbara knows she was a singularly positive woman, quick to offer a smile, a laugh, and a cup of coffee. Her first priority, always, was her family, whom she was fiercely proud of. She was a lifelong learner, traveler, and a voracious lover of culture—theater, books, movies, and ball games. Parties will be dimmer without her and her spirit.
At the end of her life, no one was cared for better. The family is eternally grateful to Lauren, Omar, and Maria for their tireless work and warmth.
Barbara is preceded in death by her dear sisters and brother, her parents, her granddaughter, and, just this summer, her husband of sixty-eight years, Frank. Theirs was a love story unlike any other. After spending most of their very full lives together, an unstoppable unit, it feels fitting Barbara did not ring in a new year without him.
In lieu of flowers a donation can be made to the Salvation Army or drug and alcohol abuse be safe.
There will be a funeral mass on Tuesday, December 30th at 11 AM at the Cathedral of the Madeleine, 331 E South Temple St, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Barbara was the best of the best, a friend to all. Gracious, empathetic, positive and kind. Her influence for good was, and is, immeasurable. She and Frank were a gift to Utah.
Sending our heartfelt condolences to the family. Thinking of you all and sending love and prayers to all the families.
Scott and Family, So sorry to hear of your Mom’s passing. Lots of memories of her and your Dad back here at N.U. May she Rest In Peace.
Layden Family,
So sad to hear re Barbara's passing. What a wonderful woman, mother , wife and icon for SLC !! She will be greatly missed.
We were so sad to learn of Barbara's passing. We were in New York at the time or we would have been at her funeral. Barbara was always such a delight whenever we saw her. She was always so full of good wishes and always had a spark in her eye. She will be missed. We saw her at Frank's funeral but, of course, she didn't recognize us. I thought at the time that she would need to be with Frank. How could she not? You had two wonderful parents that we thought the world of. God bless you all.
Deborah and Dennis Haslam