Barbara Seegmiller

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BARBARA JOANN MORGAN SEEGMILLER
August 3, 1948 - August 4, 2021

Surrounded by family and dear friends, our beloved mother of 12, proud grandmother of 32, great-grandmother of 2, and loving friend to everyone passed away peacefully the day after her 73rd birthday. True to her character, she simply was not going to miss her birthday, even after a long and courageous battle with Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), a rare neurodegenerative disease.

Barbara was born in 1948 in Los Angeles, California. The youngest of three children, she grew up in Pasadena and graduated from Pasadena High School in 1966. She earned an Associates Degree from Pasadena City College in 1969 and won several pageants as queen or princess representing the Dairy Association. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from Brigham Young University in 1974 and enjoyed playing for the BYU Women’s Volleyball Team.

Barbara found her greatest happiness in being “Mom'' and ‘'Grandma”. She was a master at the art of attending to her children’s needs and understanding their temperaments and developmental stages. She had a unique ability and capacity to “reset” distressed children with creativity and love. Noticing and remembering what was important to each child came naturally to her. Family and friends alike gravitated to her and often sought her listening ear, encouragement and empathy. She easily developed deep friendships and expressed her love frequently. She loved celebrating birthdays, holidays, special events and the successes of others. Her quick wit, enthusiasm and laughter allowed people to feel welcomed, comfortable and important.

For many years she was also a “temporary mom” to children in her licensed home daycare. Parents knew their children would be safe, well fed and loved in her care. It was not uncommon to hear teenagers and young adults call her their “second mom” or “other grandma”. Later, and up until her retirement, Barbara worked in the Mother Baby Unit at IHC as a patient care technician before moving to the Audiology Department as an infant hearing screener. She was well known and appreciated for creating personalized keepsake crib cards and providing special love and attention to the mothers and their newborns.

Barbara joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at age 20 after a pivotal ski trip to Utah with friends who introduced her to the church. They took her to visit BYU campus, Temple Square in Salt Lake City, General Conference and the St. George Temple; all of which made a lasting impression. Several months later missionaries from the church knocked on her apartment door in response to a referral card she had left at the St. George Temple. They were quite surprised when she opened the door wearing a light blue BYU sweatshirt and they soon recognized they had encountered someone very special.

Soon after her baptism Barbara decided to attend BYU, but a year later her schooling was interrupted to return home to care for her mother who was battling ovarian cancer and passed away. Her experiences as a member of the church shaped her life and gave her deep purpose and meaning. Her leadership and service in many capacities reflected her devotion and provided the opportunity to share her loving nature, personality, teaching, speaking abilities and wisdom to many people.

Barbara loved singing, dancing, crafting and boutiquing. Her love of singing began with her involvement in her church youth choir, The Saint James Singers. In the summer of 1964, just before her junior year of high school, she earned her own money to pay for a cross country choir tour headed to New York City and the World’s Fair with stops in famous places along the way. Barbara also sang in ward choirs, the Mapleton Chorale and Millennial Choirs and Orchestras. One of the greatest thrills of her life was performing in their bi-annual concerts at Abravanel Hall.

She began tap dancing at age five and continued on to dance her junior and senior year in high school as a member of an acclaimed precision drill team known as the “Long Red Line”. Later in life she joined the legendary Jean’s Golden Girls, a group of talented dancing ladies ages 50-94 years young. As a Golden Girl, Barbara and the rest of her dear “girls” danced and shimmied their upbeat Jazz and Western routines to the large cheering audiences at the BYU Marriott Center, Disneyland, Branson Missouri, Tuacahn, UVU, Madison Square Garden, and McKay Events Center.

Her craft business “Burps by Barb'' featured her signature handmade burp cloths with matching bibs and blankets. She especially loved to create gift sets to sell and create packages for friends and especially her children and grandchildren. Using her creativity through crafting brought Barbara a lot of happiness and satisfaction.

In 2014 Barbara received a beautiful gift when she discovered and was warmly welcomed into her mother’s biological Sieger family. Meeting her surviving cousins and other relatives was a life-long wish and dream that finally came true. It was the missing link that connected her to her unknown Jewish heritage and family. It filled the aching vacancy in her heart and soul.

Barbara is survived by her children Carrie Hewitt (Derek), Lori Fletcher (Milton), Kevin (Natalie), Mark (Micah), Andrea Hulse (Jeremy), Rebecca Williams (David), Emily Griner (Andrew), Nathan (Kate), Steven, Alisa Pulham (Daxton), Eric (Rachael) and Natalie Perdue (Tyler); 32 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren; sister Carol Morgan and all those she loved and touched deeply. She is preceded in death by her parents and brother.

To Jordan, Jessica, Shelly, Jamie, Sam, Kori, Madi and the many kind, capable caregivers at the Ashford Assisted Living, A-Plus Hospice and Home Instead, our family extends our eternal gratitude for the extraordinary level of love, devotion and compassion you showed in caring for Barbara. Every “I love you” she really meant.

To her devoted and caring sister, Carol, and lifelong friends Deanne, Stella, Kathleen and Ruth: you were Barbara’s special angels. Thank you for loving Barbara throughout her life, especially during the years of her illness.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests charitable contributions in Barbara’s honor to the MSA Coalition in support of MSA research.

https://www.multiplesystematrophy.org/msa-memorial-donations/

Please join us at the Nelson Family Mortuary to celebrate Barbara's life:

Friday, August 13th
Family and Friend Viewing 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Saturday, August 14th
Family and Friend Viewing 10:00am - 10:45am
Immediate Family 10:45am - 11:00am
Celebration of Life 11:00am

Graveside Service will follow at the Mapleton Cemetery.

Please send any memories, photos or stories of Barbara to: life.memories.barbara@gmail.com