Barbara Lyn Menlove

Barbara Lyn Menlove, our sweet and beautiful Mom, returned home on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. She was 89 years old.

She was born April 7, 1936, to wonderful and loving parents Dan Warren and DeLora Talbot in Salt Lake City, Utah. She married Merrill Ray Menlove in 1952 in the Salt Lake City Temple. They had 5 children together and later divorced.

Mom’s most important role in life was being a mother and grandmother, whose greatest joy came from caring for her family. She poured her heart into a home filled with love and support belonging to everyone, including the friends of her children who she so generously welcomed. She loved her daughter-in-law and sons-in-law as her own.

Mom was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served as a temple worker for years and graciously accepted callings as needed. She served in Primary and as Relief Society President throughout the years. At age 82, she was called to be a counselor in the Primary Presidency. She relied on her faith continuously through prayer throughout her life, praying for help and guidance through the trials in life that come with being a single parent. She prayed for strength to continuously do her best to raise her children with unconditional love, and to be able to make the decisions she needed to make. She has always loved her Savior and Heavenly Father, so deeply and so purely.

If you met our Mom, you loved her. Warm, loving, humble, kind, compassion, giving, selfless, profound strength, unwavering devotion, hardworking, and so very talented would describe her well. As a single mother, she raised five children and never complained. If she needed financial help, she added a second, third or sometimes fourth job to her already hectic schedule. Mom was proud and strong, never asking for financial help or charity. She taught us to work hard through her example. Her love for her children, their happiness and success, and keeping them close as a family were her most important and passionate goals in life right until the time that she passed.

She worked at Westminster College in the Saga Food Cafeteria for over 15 years, the students adored her. As the regular students walked in the cafeteria each day, they would holler “Hey Barb!” Mom knowing all of their names, would holler back by name and say “the usual today?” They would nod, and Mom would start cooking their order before they could get through the line to place the order and pay for it.

She also started a dog grooming business at home to make extra money. She offered a pick-up and delivery service for grooming that she ran on Saturdays and weekday afternoons through the evening until 6:00 p.m., then off to baseball games, and other events that 5 kids would be involved in, this was all after starting work at 4:30 a.m. at the college.

Those of us that she could convince to go with her to pick up the dogs on Saturday mornings, were treated with Winchell doughnuts at 6:30 a.m., and then on the way home, hotdogs and coke from 7-11 at 7:30 a.m. with a car full of dogs. So much fun and such great memories. She was never going to let her kids go without at any cost and did this all with a smile on her beautiful face, and always made it fun.

Mom had many talents and hobbies: cake decorator, sewing as a seamstress, ceramics, making beautiful porcelain dolls, hosting family parties, decorating her home for holidays, and loved playing cards with her friends. She was even known to take her kids toilet papering a time or two. She loved having sleepovers with the grandkids, with treats and games lasting into the late hours of night. She was always singing, and never went without her signature lipstick. She had the remarkable ability to apply her lipstick perfectly, without a mirror, right up until the day before she passed.

She loved decorating her home beautifully for every holiday and did it with perfection. She hosted wonderful family parties, grandkid parties, birthdays, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s celebrations for all who would attend--always stating “the more the merrier.”

Mom was never a lover of water, but we always had a boat. She would sit on the beach in the shade cheering us on as we enjoyed the sun, fun, and water. Fishing, camping, and whatever adventure was next, she always made it happen. Mom’s house was “the house” for every flesh-and-fur baby that needed or wanted a place to stay. She unselfishly welcomed everyone into her home with open arms and made life fun for all. She truly was an incredible woman and friend to all that knew her.

Our Mom, our special Mom, was truly loved by all and gave love so effortlessly, she will be deeply missed. We love you Mom, and we will always love you the most! Until we meet again.

Barbara is preceded in death by her father, Dan Warren Talbot; her mother DeLora Talbot; her brother Dale W. Talbot, and his wife Dorothy (Bunny) Talbot; and her sister Bonnie Rae Bjornson, and her husband Rick Bjornson,

She is survived by her children: Pam Thomas (Dave), Kevin Menlove (Lisa), Todd Menlove, Dana Anderson (Paul), and Jodie Menlove; 19 grandchildren; 63 great-grandchildren; and countless “best friends”.

The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to the staff at the assisted living facility for the love and comfort they gave our Mom, and to her loving CNA Maria, her hospice nurse Daniel, her physical therapist Wade, and her home caregiver Cida. They made Mom’s life better and brighter.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 13, 2026, at the Rosecrest Ward, 3101 South 2300 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84109. Friends and family may pay their respects on Thursday, March 12, 2026, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m., also at Rosecrest Ward, with a viewing being held Friday from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. prior to services at the church.

A live stream will be provided by the ward on Zoom at this link:  https://zoom.us/j/98410426644

Flower delivery will be received Thursday from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. and Friday morning from 9:00 to 9:30 a.m. at 3101 South 2300 East SLC, Utah 84109.

Cemetery – Memorial Mountain View, 3115 E. Bengal Blvd., Cottonwood Heights, Utah 84121.