Barbara Wilkens, age 87, of Madison and formerly of Huron, died Wednesday, January 25, 2017, at the Bethel Lutheran Home at Madison. Her memorial service was held at 11 AM, Monday, January 30th, at the First United Methodist Church, Huron. Private burial was held at Restlawn Memory Gardens Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the First United Methodist Church of Huron Foundation or the Huron Regional Medical Center Foundation.
Barbara Davis was born February 24, 1929, in Madison, to Frank E. and Mabelle (Lakings) Davis of Oldham. She attended school in Oldham, graduating from Oldham High School in 1947. Barbara earned a B.S. in Nursing Education from South Dakota State University in 1952. Barbara was active in the Wesley Foundation, a Methodist student group at South Dakota State, and it was there that she met her future husband.
Barbara married Robert A. Bob" Wilkens at the Oldham Methodist Church on April 15, 1952. They lived in England and Scotland where Bob was stationed with the US Air Force before moving to Huron in 1953. In Huron, Barb taught at St. John's Hospital School of Nursing and worked as a nurse supervisor in the obstetrics department. She also worked as the parish visitor for the First Methodist Church for several years.
After the birth of her children, Barbara began a long career as a volunteer. Her activities were numerous, especially at First United Methodist Church, where she was a church school teacher and Bible study leader, an active member of United Methodist Women and a member of the administrative board. She also dedicated 14 years as a lay delegate to annual conference and ten years each to boards of the Dakotas United Methodist Foundation and the First United Methodist Church of Huron Foundation.
A proud graduate of South Dakota State University, Barbara served on the SDSU State Alumni Board and the SDSU Advisory Board while volunteering for Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, PTA, YWCA. She was a past member of AAUW, and a member of GFWC Fortnightly and PEO Chapter F, and had served in numerous local and state offices in those organizations.
In addition to serving her church and community, Barbara volunteered her time with Huron Regional Medical Center. The Auxiliary, Hospice, School of Nursing Board were just a few areas that were beneficiaries of her time, but she also served on the Board of Directors of HRMC and the HRMC Foundation, and two councils within the SD Hospital Association.
She was honored with numerous awards, but she would have wanted to be known for being a mother, grandmother, and a friend to many. She was a gardener who regularly shared backyard picnics with her neighbors and friends.Reading was a favorite pastime, but she also enjoyed hand work, including knitting, counted cross-stitch, hardanger and quilting. Her beautiful work is a legacy she shared with numerous friends and her family.Barbara often said, however, that her favorite activity was spoiling her grandchildren.
Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Bob, on July 17, 2016 and her sister Beverly Callant.
Left to cherish her memory are her children, Brad (Gail) Wilkens of Madison, Beth (John) Wiersma of Kearney, NE, Bonnie (Marty) Krause of Minneapolis, Minnesota and William (Sharon) Wilkens of Stanley, North Carolina; five grandchildren, Jody (Charles) Bjornebo, Kelly Wilkens (Zac Leitheiser), Samuel (Stacia) Wilkens, Peyton Krause and Sara Wilkens; two great-grandchildren, Ethan and Aiden Bjornebo; and three nephews, Doug (Cindy) Callant of Carlsbad, California; Don Callant of Denver, Colorado; and Dave (Kelly) Callant of Enid, Oklahoma.