Evelyn Erica Trauffer Barnes

Evelyn Erica Trauffer Barnes passed away Friday, September 11, 2026, in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the age of almost 89. Evelyn was born September 14, 1937, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Walter and Hermine Gysler Trauffer, the youngest of 4 daughters (Joy, Pearl, Gloria, Evelyn). She grew up in Lincoln Ward, lived on Ramona Avenue in Sugarhouse and graduated from South High in 1955. At the age of 19 she moved with her parents to Zollikofen, Switzerland, where her father served as the President of the Swiss Temple. While she was there, she served as her father’s secretary and also taught English to the Temple Recorder. Also while she was there, she met a most handsome, kind missionary, Lee Barnes, who was serving in the Swiss Austrian Mission and who she married November 12, 1959, in the Salt Lake Temple. Their ceremony was performed by her boss at the time, Elder Gordon B Hinckley. She loved being Lee’s wife and a mother to Jill, Steve and Matt. She was always very proud of her family.

After renting for 7 years, they bought a home on Sands Drive in Holladay and became members of the Valley View 2nd Ward. Here they made many wonderful life-long friends. Evelyn loved being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and found great joy in all the many different opportunities she had to serve. She worked in PTA. She was a secretary in the Church Educational System for 20 years. She loved serving as a receptionist for 10 years in the Jordan River Temple and together with Lee as volunteers in the Temple View Room in the Salt Lake Temple. She and her sister, Pearl, spent many years doing Family History. She did not miss many of her children and grandchildren’s recitals or sporting events. Evelyn and Lee have watched a lot of basketball games. Evelyn loved life and life was good.

Evelyn is survived by her husband of 66 years, their 3 children and their spouses, Jill and David Young, Stephen and Robyn Hill Barnes, and Matthew and Trudy Griffin Barnes, 10 grandchildren - Danny (Molly Jensen) Young, Trent (Natalie Kinnersley) Young, Tiffany (Taylor) Christensen, Wendy (Scott) Smith, Jamie (Ben Knaak) Barnes, Karie (Dylan) Achter, Sean Barnes, Brooklyn (Zach) Cantwell, Jordan Barnes, and Lexi Barnes; 17 great grandchildren - Cruz, Eli, Waylon, Liesl, Chaz, Hadley, Ryan, Deacon, Kenna, Ellie, Jackson, Sadie, Mayzi, Finn, Bennett, Mason, and Quincy; and her sister Pearl Angelos. She was preceded in death by her parents, parents in-law, Bernard and Hilda Matti Barnes, two of her sisters, Joy Urry and Gloria Nichols, brothers-in-law Herb Urry, Gus Angelos, Joe Nichols, Blaine Barnes, and great granddaughter, IzzyJane Young.

In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to the Flutterby IzzyJane Foundation.

"Written by Evelyn January 16, 2021"

A visitation will be held Wednesday September 16, 2026 from 6:00-8:00 pm at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 4395 Albright Drive, Holladay, Utah.

A family Graveside service will be held on Thursday September 17, 2026 at 10:00 am. at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, 3401 S Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah.