Barbara Goodfellow Burningham

Barbara Goodfellow Burningham was born on February 26, 1933, to Jess and Mabel Goodfellow. She and her two older brothers, Bob and Paul, grew up on their parents' orchard at the top of 5th South in Bountiful. Life was simple as she helped her mom around the house, dodged her brothers' teasing, and helped her dad in the orchard and with the animals. Aunts, uncles, and cousins played an important part in the Goodfellow family's life, most of whom lived down the hill. Between attending Stoker Elementary, catching the bus to Davis High School, and visiting family, she went up and down that hill almost daily, often on foot, on her bike, or even a few times on Paul's skis. Even as her memories faded, she recalled friends and family around town, the names of each canyon, and the locations of the irrigation canals, wells, and reservoirs that watered many of the orchards on the east bench.

Mom met Dad in high school and attended the University of Utah for two years while Dad completed his mission. They married in 1953 and soon moved to Texas, where Julie was born and Dad finished flight school. It was in Texas that Mom learned to hide in the bathtub under a mattress with Julie during tornadoes, and they met lifelong friends. They then moved to Massachusetts, where Dad continued pilot training and Rex was born. After a few years, they returned home to Bountiful and built a house on a corner of her dad's orchard.

It was at the corner of 3rd South and 12th East that they raised their five kids. Mom was a woman of habit, consistency, and hard work. As she taught us basics like "say your prayers and brush your teeth" and "hang on and things will work out," we learned the value of resilience, humility, and persistence. Saturdays were for chores, Sundays for family, and if we heard her ring the cast iron bell, we were to come home. Simple principles guided her life and ours day in and day out. In the era of June Cleaver, mom could often be seen in shorts pruning roses, painting the house, clearing drains, and taking care of the orchard and garden. As houses replaced the fruit trees and the neighborhood filled in, Mom volunteered at church and made several dear friends. She kept us busy with yard work, orchard chores, Scouts, 4H, and selling cherries and apricots. We learned that life, family, and marriage require effort and dedication; all journeys worth taking.

Barbara's hands were rarely idle. She was the last to leave the kitchen after cleaning up a meal, and thanks to the robin's chirping, she was up with the sun each summer morning. She returned to school in her late 30s and began teaching in her late 40s, spending 15 years teaching second grade at Woods Cross Elementary. Going back to school created growth opportunities with increased responsibilities for us children, starting with where she could be found around the house. Before teaching, we would find her sewing, canning, or working in the garden. Once she became a teacher, several of these activities were replaced by hours spent in her basement office correcting papers, planning for the next day, and devising lessons for struggling students. It was also during these years that she decided to focus on her and our dad's health. She learned to play golf, tennis, and often swam at 5 am. Often, to Dad's chagrin, she changed what they ate to focus on health, keeping diabetes at bay, and run/walking three times a week well into her 70s with her best friend June Avery.

Mom was a lifelong learner and tireless worker. If she didn't understand something, she tackled it with determination. Among her belongings were notebooks filled with spelling practice, gospel study, health, and financial articles, all of which were highlighted and summarized. Her desire to learn and teach continued into retirement, as she volunteered at the Lion House and the State Historical Society, and later served a mission in Chicago with Dee. She supported all of us through our college years with food, encouragement, and timely advice when things got hard. As a grandma, her teaching continued with countless hours of reading to all of the grandkids and great-grandkids. Even now, when grandchildren visit, they can point to the books and spots on the couch where they once sat and read nursery rhymes "Henny Penny," and "Go, Dogs, Go."

Mom, thank you for your endless support, occasional worry, and persistent belief in us. We will miss your clever quips and your constant offers of cheese sandwiches, Oreos, and ice cream. We are so happy that you and Dad are together again. Barbara is survived by her children, Juleen (Allan), Rex (Laurie), Joan, Lynne (Paul), and John (Emily), along with 21 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

The viewing and funeral will be on the morning of Friday, July 11th, 2025. The viewing is scheduled from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m., with the funeral beginning at 11:00 a.m., at the Oak Hills Ward Chapel, 455 South 1200 East, Bountiful, Utah.

Services will be streamed live on the Russon Mortuary Live Facebook page and on this obituary page. The live stream will begin about 10-15 minutes prior to the service and will be posted below.