Barbara Saylor died on Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022 at the age of 86.

Barbara JoDell (Fryrear) Saylor, was the middle child of Melvin and Mary (Thompson) Fryrear. She was born on Nov. 15, 1935 and joined her older sister, Helen Lou, and welcomed her baby brother, Dick, after her. She lived with her family on a farm south of Haxtun. She always shared stories of her wonderful childhood in the Highland Center community. Growing up on the farm, she so enjoyed helping her dad with the cattle, harvest time and showing her steers in 4-H. Her love of all things farming followed her throughout her life. She was an active participant in anything and everything fun, be it playing softball, glee club, playing the piano or singing and playing with her cousins. Her sister Helen Lou and much younger brother Dick, were often a part of her antics. She attended Highland Center for elementary and junior high school. She attended Haxtun High School where she continued to be involved in numerous sports and clubs. She continued her education at Northeastern Junior College and went from there to Colorado State College of Education in Greeley where she received an elementary teaching degree. Teaching would become one of her many lifelong passions.

Barbara loved with great joy and kindness. Her daughters, Kathi, Peggy and Laurie, were the recipients of her happy nature and love of laughter. They have so many memories of her signing them up for and then leading, several clubs and activities. She taught fourth grade Sunday School for many years, was a Girl Scout leader and led the Methodist Youth Group. Swimming lessons were always a must and they remember that when she was 35 years old, she also took swimming lessons and finally learned to swim. She loved attending her children's plays, band concerts, piano recitals, choir concerts and sports.

She was a stay home mom until she decided to go back to full-time teaching in 1972 at Campbell Elementary in Sterling. Her second love, (after her daughters) was teaching and it was another setting where her sense of fun and creativity took flight. She provided hands on learning through games, play dough, brain activities, anything that she felt would make learning exciting and fun. To this day, her daughters can say who their mom was and someone will tell them they had loved her as a teacher.

All who knew her, knew she loved researching and using healthy habits. She'd rather shop for vitamins than clothes! She rode her bike everywhere and if she couldn't ride, she walked. She was before her time in lactose intolerance and celiac and constantly tried recipes that were very unique to her children's friends and family. Fellow teachers always saw her with a huge container of drinking water wherever she went.

She was very involved in her community as well. The Sterling Library and Sterling Parks and Recreation were committees she was a member of, along with being a committed member of the local Republican Party association. She gave to so many charities that her mailbox was often full of hopeful new applicants.

Her grandchildren have so many happy memories of being with Grandma. She always had activities to do outside, a stock tank to swim in, bikes to ride, snacks to eat and funny movies to watch. They reveled in her happy laughter and felt her unconditional love all their lives. She would take you roller-skating, garage sale toy shopping, board game playing ... she was a child's best companion. How she loved her grandchildren!

She enjoyed 23-plus happy years with her partner, Chuck Hesse. They enjoyed numerous trips, including one to Alaska and several to places like Springfield, Ill. to pick up a truck and to sell a tractor loader near Cleveland. They enjoyed driving and seeing new places. They both had a love of cattle and spent many pleasurable hours working in Chuck's feed lot.

She is survived by her partner Chuck Hesse, Sterling; daughters Kathi L'Belle, New Mexico, Peggy Kokes and husband Mark, Crook, and Laurie Burke and husband Keith, Elizabeth; grandchildren Jon and wife Tiffany Jorgensen, Sarah and husband Chris Vincent, Mary and husband Fabian Medina, Cameron and wife Malorie Kokes, Conor and Spencer Kokes and Craig and Paige Burke; great-grandchildren Ira, Levana and Rowan Borth-Jorgensen, Caellum and Cassidy Barbara Vincent, and Annalisa and Freya Medina.

Barbara is preceded in death by her parents; infant brother Alan; brother Dick Fryrear; nephew Sean Fryrear; sister Helen Lambert; and brother-in-law Darrell Lambert.

Barbara was a loving, sparkling, laughing presence wherever she went and will be remembered for her beautiful smile and happy disposition.

Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 29 at 11 a.m. at The Haxtun United Methodist Church with Pastor Jeri Soens officiating. Burial followed at Jarvis Cemetery following the service and a reception will be held at the Haxtun Community Center.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials are made to the Barbara Saylor Memorial Fund, c/o of Chaney-Reager Funeral Home, P.O. Box 1046, Sterling, CO 80751 to benefit some of her favorite local non-profits.