Barbara Beatrice Cole Wallin

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the saddest day of our lives, the passing of our sweet mother, grandmother, and friend from complications of heart disease and stroke. Barbara Beatrice Bublitz was born in Frazee, Minnesota and spent much of her early childhood in and around northern Minnesota. Being on the recovery end of the great depression, times were hard, but her family endured and eventually moved to northern Montana. It was in Poplar, Montana where Barbara met her first husband, Dale Cole, and set out on life’s adventures, beginning with a four-day bus ride by herself to Tucson Arizona to reunite with Dale in support of his military service in the Air Force.

It was this mode of self-sacrifice for her family and intense love for her children that would mark her greatest strength, and eventually lead her to Utah and through two more marriages. Her only rule for anyone entering her life was to take care of her children.
After her children were raised, she met the man she would spend most of the rest of her life with, Bob Wallin, and together they moved to their own little paradise in Mountain Green. She finally found her much-deserved life of leisure. She enjoyed many years of peaceful enjoyment with neighbors and friends in Mountain Green until Bob’s death in September 2010.
She then moved down in the valley to be with her children to spend the remaining years of her life either traveling and sharing adventures with her kids or living their adventures vicariously with pen and pencil as she tracked her beloved children around the globe.
Barbara is survived by her brother Willie (Betty) Bublitz, sister Carmie (Dave) Talbot, children Theresa (Sid) Graham, Gary Cole, and Alan (Dianne) Cole, and stepdaughter Kristie (Curtis) Nielsen, twelve grandchildren, twenty-four great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.
Barbara was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Wallin, her parents Ervin and Beatrice Bublitz, sisters Mona Lou Silbernagel, Sandi Hackley and her precious daughter-in-law, Lon Cole.
Mom poured her very heart and soul into her children’s lives. In return, we would each like to give Mom our own final memory/tribute:
Terry: In addition to being my mom, she has been my confidant and best friend. She’s been by my side through heartache and joy and felt every emotion tenfold that I ever did. We worked and commuted to Salt Lake City together for many years for the Department of Interior. We traveled, golfed, and bowled together and shared many of the same beautiful friends. We shared the best days of our lives when I gave birth to her granddaughter, Jessica, and when Jessica gave birth to her two daughters, Kennedy and Sophia. She was content and complete when she was with her kids and grandkids.
Gary: A couple of memories stick in my mind: She always bought serious greeting cards for her kids for all occasions, even when accompanied by humorous ones. They were just one more way to convey her love and pride in us. And whenever her kids left town, she became so anxious for their safe return home. Whether it was driving to Alaska, pulling trailers across the country, or driving semi-trucks, she tracked our progress and called to make sure we were having fun. She instilled the confidence in us to accomplish anything we set our minds to. And guess what; we did just that!
Alan: Mom had such a huge impact on my life in every phase, through every struggle, and following every accomplishment. To me though, her most endearing quality was her ability to ALWAYS be there for us. If she was invited for dinner, she’d be there. If you wanted to go to her house and just talk, she’d be there. If you needed financial help, she’d be there. And if you just wanted to feel the comfort of being around a beautiful, caring soul, she’d be there. And she treated “being there” as HER greatest reward, when it was actually OURS. In HER eyes, she had the best time, ate the best food, saw the best movies, and had the most fun when she was with family. What made her so special was making other people feel special.
Mom’s passing has left a tremendous void which will never be replaced. We are left wondering how we can possibly go on without sharing our life stories, challenges, and accomplishments with her and in return getting her heartfelt sympathy, words of encouragement, or showers of praise that she somehow provided at just the right moments.
Rest in peace, Mom. We will miss you as fiercely as you loved us.
A Celebration of Life gathering will be held in her honor at Mountain View Baptist Church Saturday, August 7, 2021 at 11:00 AM. Masks are encouraged unless fully vaccinated.