Barbara Lee (Roberts) Wheeler

Barbara Lee (Roberts) Wheeler peacefully passed away in her home on July 1st, 2022. She was surrounded by her family. We can only imagine what a joyous reunion it must have been as she returned home to her Heavenly Father and to the love of her life, Jim.

Barbara was born in 1935 in Ogden, Utah to her beloved parents Albert and Evelyn Kaiser Roberts.
She attended Ogden High School where she was class officer for two years. She kept that role while she attended Weber College, now Weber State University. Barbara continued her education while raising her young kids and graduated from the University of Utah with her bachelors degree. She continued her education at the U of U, earning both her Masters and Doctorate degrees in Clinical Social Work. Her lessons didn’t stop in the classroom. Barbara believed in the power of education and was a lifelong learner in everything she did.

Barbara served in many roles and had many achievements throughout her professional life. She worked in several social service agencies, but the majority of her psychotherapy work was in a private practice. Towards the end of her career, Barbara worked as the Director of the School of Social Work at Brigham Young University where she helped develop a graduate program. She received many awards, including Diplomate in Social Work, Social Worker of the Year Award, Social Work Administrator of the Year Award, and BYU Social Work Alumni Educator Award. Barbara was always learning from the students and clients she worked with throughout the years and had a strong love for them.

Barbara found a lot of satisfaction in her career, but in her own words, her greatest triumph and best decision of all was marrying her true soul mate and love of her life, Jim, in the Logan Temple in 1955. Barbara and Jim were dedicated members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They shared strong testimonies of the gospel and strived to live lives accordingly. Together, they found their greatest joy in raising two daughters, Wendy and Jodi, and son, Todd. Barbara and Jim lived a full and wonderful life of 51 years together before Jim’s death in 2006.

Barbara enjoyed helping others and served on many community service boards, including the University of Utah College of Nursing “Caring Connections,” NTI Alliance of Mental Illness, and Board President of the Children’s Service Society.
She had numerous church callings, mostly in teaching and missionary work, and had many loyal and loving friends. She had a gift of making connection with others and always made the effort to keep loved ones close.

Barbara had many passions. She loved tennis, writing, reading, community service, springtime, concerts, theater, animals, the outdoors (especially the mountains) and pickle ball. She was a tennis silver medalist in the Huntsman World Senior Games, which she participated in for many years. She was a published author of a book titled “When a Spouse Dies.” The book’s purpose is to help others through their grief and heartache which she knew so well after losing her beloved Jim. Barbara’s greatest passion of all was her family, including her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, whom she deeply adored. They each had a very close and special relationship with her.

Up until the end, Barbara’s love for life itself never wavered. She celebrated the big milestones as well as the everyday moments and found lessons and joy in it all. She was a great friend, neighbor, teacher, mentor, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and example to everyone who had the good fortune of knowing her.

Barbara is survived by her sister Luann (Ron) Stephens; special friend, George Swan; her three children, Wendy (Mike Baclian) Wheeler Merrill; Jodi (Brian) Bailey, and Todd (Jackie) Wheeler; 12 grandchildren; and 17 great grandchildren (with one more on the way).

A visitation will be held Friday, July 8, from 6-8 pm at Larkin Sunset Lawn Mortuary (2350 East 1300 South)

A celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, July 9, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (5913 South Highland Drive). Visitation from 10-10:45 am. Service at 11:00 am. For those unable to attend, services will be streamed via Zoom, please click on the watch services box above.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to your favorite charity or do a kind turn for someone else.