Barbara Lea Wagoner

Barbara “Barbie” (Walpole) Wagoner was freed of her earthly burdens in the early morning hours of Christmas Day after succumbing to medical complications associated with a brave battle with dementia. She is survived by her loving husband, James Michael “Mike” Wagoner, daughter Jamie Wagoner Giachetti (Anthony), son John Thomas Wagoner (Lori), her grandchildren Shelby, Jacob, Mikayla and Charlotte all of Tucson, AZ; her sisters Margaret Ann Jones of Dallas, TX, Sally Jane Ryan of Danville, CA and many wonderful cousins, nieces and nephews.

Barbie was born to Albert Grayson Walpole and Margaret Belle Clark Walpole in Ft. Worth, Texas. She spent her formative years moving to various places throughout Texas, Louisiana and Arizona due to her father’s job with Swift and Company. Her time spent in Tucson, AZ made a significant impression upon Barbie, and when it was time to select a university she chose and was admitted to the University of Arizona. Her return to Tucson was to be a permanent move, as she found a supportive and loving sisterhood in the Chi Omega Fraternity to which she remained a lifelong devoted member. She met and fell in love with Mike on a blind date while at the U of A and achieved her Bachelor’s degree in education, graduating in 1969. Barbie and Mike married on July 25, 1970 and had 51 blessed years together.

Barbie served her community as an elementary educator in many different settings. She taught at Peter Howell Elementary, was a substitute teacher in TUSD, was one of the inaugural reading specialists that rolled out the Literary Assistance Project (LAP) and coordinated volunteer training and preparation for the OASIS volunteer tutoring program.

Barbie and Mike raised two children amongst their busy work schedules. Jamie and JT both left the nest to try their hands at life out in the world, but both eventually returned to their hearts’ home to raise their own families. Barbie’s greatest joy was to see her children develop loving partnerships with their spouses, whom she loved as her own, and to see her grandchildren be born and experience their early childhood years.

Barbie loved her family deeply, and maintained close relationships with her beloved Clark cousins that lasted until her death and whose bonds survived the challenges brought by distance, life’s stressors and her dementia diagnosis. She loved getting together and celebrating all of the highs and lows of life with her family and made sure that her children grew up with strong family ties to their own aunts, uncles and cousins.

She loved musicals, old movies, Mexican food, owls, her children and grandchildren. Barbie was opinionated, loving and committed to doing things the right way; she instilled these same values in her children. She could give the BEST eyebrow raise to indicate her displeasure, to accentuate a superbly sarcastic statement or to ask a question without ever speaking a word. She loved Christmas deeply, and created magical and wonderful holiday memories year after year for her family; her death on Christmas day lends a bittersweet poignancy to the holiday.

How deeply missed she will be cannot be measured, and our hearts break to have to say goodbye to our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, cousin and friend. May she be surrounded by loved ones who preceded her in death, and may she celebrate her freedom from her earthly bonds.

Graveside service will be held Tuesday, January 11th at 10:30 a.m. at East Lawn Palms, reception with light luncheon and refreshments afterward at Mike and Barbie’s home. All are welcome to attend.

To honor Barbie’s memory, in lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation to the AT Children’s Project (www.atcp.org) as it was an organization close to Barbie and our family’s heart.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.eastlawnpalmsmortuary.com for the Wagoner family.