Barbara Blanche Sowards

Barbara was born on December 30, 1938 in Deep Water Township, Iowa, to parents Edward Haines and Waneta Stewart. She graduated from Renton High School in 1957. In 1958, she married Allen Larson and the couple had four children together. She later married Ralph Sowards and they had one child.

Barbara worked as a purchasing agent for Newberry’s while living in California. Later in Washington, she was part owner of A to Z roofing. In 1975, she loaded a flat bed truck and headed to Anchorage, Alaska. She was a purchasing agent at the UAA Bookstore until 1984. During that time, she and Ralph started Bering Sea Traders. They owned that business until 1998 when they retired and moved to Oceanview, Hi. Never to sit still, they started a coffee farm in Pahala, Hawaii.

Barbara moved to Spanaway, Washington after Ralph’s passing in 2018. She took great pleasure reconnecting with family. She enjoyed working in her yard and watching her Hallmark movies.

She is survived by her children Darla Kester (Karl), Robert Larson (Laurie), Roger Larson (Kathy), Debra Terry (Jerry). She is also survived by her brother Ed Haines and his family; her brother in law Bob Lickingteller; nephew Barry Roe and family; sixteen grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband Ralph Sowards, parents Edward and Immogene Haines, biological mother Waneta Johnson; her sisters Vickey Roe, Claudene Lickingteller; her brother Duane Krajewski; and her daughter Tammy Austin.

Private graveside services are being provided by Greenwood funeral home in Renton Washington.