Barbara Faye Kuiken, 84
Barbara Faye King was born July 23, 1937, in the Little River, Kansas hospital to Davis Edwin King, and Oneta Warburton King. She passed away February 12, 2022, at the age of 84 years, 6 months, and 20 days, at Hilltop Lodge, Beloit, Kansas.
Barbara grew up in Salina, Hunter, and Ash Grove, Kansas where she met and married Harvey Standley in April of 1954. Barbara and Harvey had 3 children, Sandra, Susan, and Danny. They were divorced. Barbara was working at Excel in Smith Center, where she met Orville Dean Macklin. They were married in June of 1974, and Barbara worked as a dispatcher for Smith County Sheriff Department, Smith County Hospital, and Smith County EMS. Dean had 6 children, Jean, Pat, Dean LeRoy, Duane, Frank, and Susie. They made their home in Smith Center. Orville Dean passed away in 1996, leaving Barbara a widow. When she met Verle Kuiken, she was working as a Home Health Aide for the Health Department. They married in 1999. They were able to travel from one coast to the other at different times and met many new friends along the way.
Barbara enjoyed going to the Library in Lebanon, lunch at LaDows, and her Bible Study days. She loved entertaining in her home and decorating for special occasions. She kept busy making quilts, t-shirt quilts, crocheting, tatting, and doing many other crafts. Shopping with her girlfriends every month was one of her favorite pastimes, and a great memory for her. She loved being with her family and kept her grandchildren frequently to give their parents a break.
In November 2019, Barbara started having trouble with a cough, and was diagnosed with pneumonia. After two months, she had not recovered, she was referred to a Pulmonologist in Salina. Barbara was diagnosed at that time with Pulmonary Fibrosis. Learning about this disease and working to keep healthy, she began to use supplemental oxygen. This did not deter her though, and she continued to take care of Verle in their home. In March of 2021, Barbara and Verle moved to Hilltop Assisted Living, Beloit, Kansas. Throughout the two years she fought the disease, she never wavered in the faith or confidence that God was with her and was in control. The last few weeks were difficult for her, with her breathing becoming harder. Verle passed away in December 2021. Last week, she was transferred to the Hilltop Lodge Nursing Facility under the care of Solomon Valley Hospice.
Barbara is preceded in death by her parents, husband Orville Dean, stepdaughter Patty, brother Frankie King, Sister-in-law Kathy King, and husband Verle.
She is survived by her daughters Sandi (Eldon) Preuss of Stuttgart, Kansas; Susan (Dean) Macklin of Olivia, North Carolina; and son Danny (Loretta) Standley of Wichita, Kansas; step children, Jean (Jim) Tharp of Smith Center, Kansas; Dean L. (Susan) Macklin of Olivia, North Carolina; Duane (Sheryl) Macklin of Smith Center, Kansas; Frank Macklin of Colorado Spring, Colorado; Susie (Darrell) Piner of Louisville, Colorado; grandchildren, great grandchildren, great great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and many many past coworkers and friends.
Celebration of life services were held at 10:30AM Tuesday February 15, 2022 at the Rentschler Family Mortuaries Simmons-Rentschler Mortuary in Smith Center.
The family requests memorial contributions be made to the Lebanon Public Library and/or Hilltop Assisted Living and can be sent in care of the mortuary.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Rentschler Family Mortuary Simmons-Rentschler Mortuary in Smith Center, KS. www.rfmortuaries.com