Barbie Wallace, 54, of Bozeman passed away Monday, February 19, 2018.
Barbie Jane Berndt was born March 16, 1963 to William R. Berndt and Barb A. Berndt, the fourth of five children.
Barbie graduated from Bozeman Senior High in 1982. Shortly after, in 1983, Barbie married Mark Wallace. They had two children, Mickey Lee and Naphtali Janine.
Mark Wallace was killed December 12, 1985 when the military transport he was flying home from Egypt in blew up over Gander Newfoundland, killing 248 Army personnel, and leaving Barbie a young widow with two small children, her daughter being only eight days old.
Barbie, with her abominable spirit, took her tragedy and turned it into a life filled with service. Barbie’s volunteering could be matched by few. In these years, she volunteered at the Evangelical Free Church and Grace Bible Church in Childcare for the Women’s Bible Study Fellowship Programs. She volunteered at the Humane Society, the Gallatin Valley Food Bank, the Bozeman Public Library, Emily Dickenson School, and her most rewarding service was her years with the Sweet Pea Festival. Her most joyous services were to the Living Waters United Methodist Church in Belgrade.
Barbie was a pretty simple lady, so this will be simple. When people talk about loved ones and their accolades, it all sounds so fabulous. We use a lot of glamorous adjectives and flowery nouns to describe who they were. However, we are not inclined to do that because the list would be of all the typical things one would expect to describe someone they love. With Barbie, that list would be endless.
So we are going to choose a verb. An action word, meaningless without the actions that back it up. The verb to best describe Barbie is ‘love’.
Barbie displayed this verb, ‘love’, in all she did. Her love of God, her love of family, her love of friends, her love of service, and her love of creation, flowers, cats, and great food.
She was especially devoted to her mother, Barbara, who watched over her tirelessly throughout her diagnosis and up to Barbie’s very last moments. Nobody could have asked for a more devoted mother.
Barbie was the verb ‘love’ personified and perfected in Christ. She has shaken off her earthly chains and her body of death and is now in the loving arms of her Savior. We know she will be waiting for all of us to join her in Heaven.
Survivors include her children, Mickey Wallace and Naphtali Nunnley; mother, Barbara Berndt; big brother, Gary Berndt; big sister, Jena Reno; and her little brother, Robert Berndt.
Memorial Services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Tuesday, February 27 at Living Waters United Methodist Church, with a reception to follow. Barbie will be laid to rest alongside her brother, Jeffrey Berndt, at a later date.
The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Living Waters United Methodist Church, 51 W Cameron Bridge Rd, Bozeman, MT 59718; or Bozeman Health Foundation (memo line: Hospice), 931 Highland Blvd, Ste 3200, Bozeman, MT 59715.
Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service. www.dokkennelson.com
