Barbara Raddatz Lehfeldt Williams, longtime former resident of Ryegate, MT, passed away on January 8, 2023, at her home in Helena. She was 89 years old.

Barbara was born on March 17, 1933 to Rudolph and Margaret Lehfeldt. The second of eight children, Barbara and her older sister were responsible for helping their parents care for their large and boisterous family, which formed the foundation of Barbara's formidable work ethic. Despite their modest means, the family was focused on education and the arts, and those ideals remained with Barbara all during her life.

Prior to Barbara's senior year in high school, at a country school dance at Rothiemay, she caught the eye of Keith Williams, a handsome veteran who had recently returned to their hometown. Barbara later confessed that, in fact, she had had a crush on Keith dating back to her first-grade year when she admired him from afar as the handsomest boy in the freshman class, but their official account was that they fell in love on that dance floor and loved each other faithfully and fully for 73 years.

Following her graduation from Ryegate High School in 1951, Barbara enrolled at Rocky Mountain College as a home economics major. Although working in the cafeteria to pay her way, Barbara managed to enjoy a vibrant college experience (including being elected Homecoming Queen her freshman year), but Keith persistently courted her with romantic love letters, and they married November 6, 1954. After a short time in Billings, they moved to the family farm and welcomed five children: Robin, Brent, Dawn, Tracy and Jane.

While her children were young, Barbara lived the life of a busy farm wife, dealing with a wide range of challenges such as skunks in the chicken house and the farmhouse crawl space, watching her older children give the baby a ride in a wagon behind a galloping horse, and cooking huge harvest and branding day dinners. She was a wonderful cook and the meals she took to the field were epic in quantity and variety including providing soap and hot water for the workers to wash up. Her children all have fond memories of getting off the school bus and enjoying a slice of homemade bread warm from the oven with butter and homemade jam. Barbara brought considerable skills to turning a small, spartan farmhouse into a happy home. In addition to her cooking prowess, she was an accomplished seamstress whose projects ranged from slipcovers made without a pattern to delicate hand-smocked dresses for her daughters to full doll layettes and Halloween costumes. In keeping with her love of literacy and the arts, Barbara's only indulgent purchases were a console stereo and a piano, and she filled her home with music and books. She read to her children daily and took time to drive them 40 miles to the nearest public library for books, guiding all of them to a lifetime love of reading. She encouraged her children to sing and play instruments and somehow found the funds for piano lessons. In the evening, Barbara always made time to visit with each of her children at bedtime, conversations which are still cherished. These were incredibly busy years for Barbara and she often described them as some of the happiest years of her life.

In 1968, Barbara resumed her education, choosing to pursue a degree in elementary education. Attending multiple summers, she graduated magna cum laude from Rocky Mountain College. Working initially on a provisional certificate, Barbara joined the teaching staff at Ryegate School in 1969, first teaching in a combined fifth and sixth grade classroom and later teaching combined third and fourth grades. Barbara was a dedicated and talented educator. She enjoyed teaching all subjects but took special pleasure in developing literacy skills in her students, many of whom credit her with instilling in them a love of reading and learning. She also became renowned for her art and crafts projects, especially Christmas gifts for parents, and for years many Ryegate homes featured a pinecone wreath, tree skirt, or burlap wall hanging made by her students. Occasionally she also taught home economics and coached the drill team. One memorable night she sewed three complete majorette uniforms finishing at 8 a.m. in time to leave for a full day of teaching. After the family moved into town in support of Barbara's teaching career, the Williams home became a second home for many of her children's friends and she was always willing to give a young person a bed, a meal, clothes, prom dress, or a listening ear. Never one to be idle, Barbara spent her summers raising a huge garden and preserving produce for the winter months. She continuously supported her children in their activities and devotedly cared for two sets of aging parents.

Barbara retired in 1998 after a long and distinguished teaching career. She and Keith enjoyed their numerous trips to the Washington D.C/Baltimore area, an extended car trip down the West Coast, an Alaskan cruise and a family reunion in San Diego, but they took even more pleasure in their quiet life together at their Ryegate home. True to form, Barbara stayed constantly busy in retirement. No longer needing a large garden, she enjoyed flower gardening instead, but quilting became her passionate retirement interest. She was meticulous in her craft and the resulting products were exquisite. The gift of a quilt was one of her strongest expressions of love. Barbara and Keith were dedicated caretakers of the Ryegate Methodist Church and Barbara was a devoted participant and frequent hostess for both a non-denominational Bible Study group and a ladies' bridge group. She generously hosted impromptu visits from her siblings. In particular, Barbara took enormous pride and pleasure in her grandchildren and their accomplishments, and was always ready with a stash of homemade cookies when any of them came to visit.

In 2017, Barbara and Keith moved to Helena, residing at the Hunter's Pointe Retirement Community where they were renowned for their devotion to each other. They weathered the pandemic together and Barbara cared for Keith tenderly and unselfishly as his health declined. She remained engaged and interested in the world around her, and enjoyed participating in excursions and entertainments arranged by Hunter's Pointe or her family. Barbara always looked forward to her weekly phone call with her older sister, Mardo and was delighted to be an honored guest at the weddings of three of her grandchildren, two of which occurred in her final months of life. For nearly 90 years, Barbara lived a life characterized by complete and unselfish devotion to family, an extraordinary work ethic, determination to excel at all endeavors, a strong will, deep faith, and fierce independence.

Barbara's beloved husband Keith preceded her in death by four months. She is survived by: daughter Robin Denick (John) of Baltimore, Maryland; son Brent of Ryegate; daughter Dawn (Greg) Field of Townsend; daughter Tracy (Art) Mikkola of Missoula; and Jane (Greg) Hicks of League City, Texas; twelve grandchildren (Julia Denick, Laura Denick, Morgan Yegerlehner, Keith Williams, Caitlin Field, Alaine Field, Bailee Field, Andy Mikkola, Finn Mikkola, Brendan Hicks, Ashlynn Hicks, and Megan Hicks). She is also survived by five siblings: (sisters Mary Margaret McDonald and Catherine Thayer and brothers Bruce, James, and Dennis Lehfeldt).

Her children wish to express heartfelt thanks to Dean Nassat and the caring Hunter's Pointe staff, Dr. Kiley Kirksey, and Lavinder Home Health for their tender care of Barbara. Cremation has taken place, and a joint memorial service for Barbara and Keith and interment in the Ryegate Cemetery are planned for a late date. The family suggests that any memorial contributions be made to the Golden Valley Community Foundation ( P.O. Box 156, Ryegate, MT, 59074).