Barbara Meakins

Barbara Barkley Meakins, 91, of Haxtun, died July 11, 2022. She was born Feb. 21, 1931, to Edwin A. Barkley and Mildred Sutley Barkley. She was the oldest of three girls: Barbara, Diane Tippets and Sherrilyn Smith Yost.

Barbara graduated from Fleming High School in 1949 and later attended the University of Colorado-Boulder, graduating in 1953. After graduating from CU, she returned to northeast Colorado and was a business teacher for 25 years, having taught in Haxtun and Holyoke and at Northeastern Junior College.

Barbara met and married Howard Meakins on June 18, 1954. She and Howard were married 60 years before his death in 2014. The couple was blessed with two children, Scott and Cheryl; four grandchildren, Tyler (and Stephanie), Lyndie (and Mike), Wyatt and Codi; and one great-grandchild, Magnolia.

After teaching, Barbara was an accountant and prepared income tax returns. Later she secured her real estate license and was a realtor and co-owner of Northeast Colorado Realty in Fleming.

In 1956, Barbara and Howard built their home on North Wallace Avenue in Haxtun, where they lived the rest of their lives. During their marriage, they purchased and farmed a wheat farm 16 miles south of Haxtun.

Barbara is survived by her sister, Sherrilyn Yost; brothers-in-law, Dennis Tippets and Alvin Yost; sister-in-law, Vicki Bamford; her children, grandchildren and great-grandchild; and nephews, nieces, cousins and many friends.

A graveside service will be held Saturday, July 23, at 11 a.m. at the Haxtun Cemetery.

Chaney-Reager Funeral Home in Sterling is directing the service.