Shirley Ruth Barber

Shirley Ruth Barber of Camdenton, Missouri, passed away on April 12, 2023 with Sepsis, secondary to Addison's Disease.

She was born on a farm in northeast Kansas, near Hiawatha, on September 28, 1936, to Clyde and Doris (Lortscher) Swaim. She married Denzil (Whimpy) Barber in San Diego, California, on March 30, 1958.

The eldest of three children, being raised on a farm for eighteen years, meant carefree fun life, including doing the “chores”. The family had no electricity or running water; however, electric did come with she was nine years old. Shirley went to Mt. Roy, a one-room schoolhouse for the first eight years and graduated from Highland, Kansas in the class of 1954. After working for three years in Topeka, KS, for the IRS and Airforce, she and her sister drove to San Diego with fifty cents to spare. She immediately went to work for Ryan Aeronautical, staying three years and became the first full-time computer operator in San Diego. While living in a beach house on Mission beach, she met her husband-to-be, Whimpy Barber, who was a marine.

Shirley moved to Texas twice and back to California twice, spending the majority of the time in Eureka and Redding California. In 1971, they moved to Camdenton, Missouri, where her parents lived. She was a stay-at-home mom and in her later years, she worked as a cook, with her daughter Denise, at Osage Beach Elementary for ten years.

She and Whimpy traveled extensively in their 5th wheel to all states but Hawaii and Idaho. When her husband passed away on April 1, 2016, she and her sister Virginia, traveled through most of 2022 in their motorhome. They kept busy going to monthly LOW’s (Loners on Wheels) meetings and monthly Escapees meetings, all at different campgrounds around the US. They spent most winters in various places, such as Florida, South Padre Island, Texas, and Oklahoma state parks. They also traveled to Alaska with some LOW’s friends; together they put 70,000 miles on their motorhome and the sisters had the best of time.

Shirley also went to Hawaii with her daughter in March of 2020, barely getting out because of COVID and came home to no toilet paper; also, later making it to Idaho.

In her spare time, she enjoyed gardening, hiking, picnics, cooking family dinners, crossword puzzles, family genealogy, playing the piano and spending time with family and friends.

The family would like to give a special thank you to Deana, who was her caregiver and friend, for taking such good care of her in the last year of her life.

Shirley is survived by her three children, Robert & wife Marcie Barber of Camdenton, Missouri, Denise & husband Jerry Wiethop of Montreal, Missouri and David & wife Cheryl Barber of Alabaster, Alabama; nine grandchildren, Eric & wife Kristina Wiethop of Macks Creek, Missouri, Troy Wiethop of Roach, Missouri, Kristin & husband Ryan McGuire of Camdenton, Missouri, Kyle & wife Hanna Barber of Blue Eye, Missouri, Jerico & wife Paige Barber, Jerod & wife Christina Bouchard of Belle Chasse, Louisiana, Mellisa Bouchard of Camdenton, Missouri, Matthew & wife Chloe Hillman of Alabaster, Alabama and Dennis & wife Cheryl Hillman of El Dorado Hills, California; twenty-two grandchildren, Fisher, Fletcher, Finn, Lily & Ty Wiethop, Mia, Claire & Grant McGuire, Ava, Savannah, Brayden, Kyle & Mia Hilman, Dylan, Eli, Brodie & Elizabeth Barber and Jade, Madelyn, Kolbe, Eliza & Gabriella Bouchard.

A celebration of life will be held by the family at a later date. The family requests that memorial donations be made to Denise Wiethop, which will be used to place a memorial bench in Shirley’s memory at Ha Ha Tonka State Park, and mailed to Allee-Holman-Howe Funeral Home, 15 Clint Ave, Camdenton, Missouri, 65020.

Arrangements are under the direction of Allee-Holman-Howe Funeral Home of Camdenton, Missouri.