Barbara Ann Ahlers

Ahlers, Barbara A.

Age 89 of Brooklyn Park (formerly of Plymouth) passed away on 09/23/2026.

Barbara Ann Schwebach was born on Sunday October 11,1936 at home in Dell Rapids, South Dakota. She was the third daughter and 8th child of John and Caroline (Kottmann) Schwebach. Her mother, Caroline, choose the name “Cleo” for her, but things changed at baptism and she came home “Barbara Ann”. In her youth, she wasn’t fond of Barbara Ann and chose her own nick name— “Bob”. That name still sticks today with some of her family.

As a child, Barbara spent a lot of time on her own. She had to make her own fun and her active imagination and bodacious curiosity led to many stories of crazy stunts/acrobatics that she for sure would NOT want her own kids to try. Memories included ‘balance beam’ walking in the corn crib, climbing out the closet window onto the porch roof and using a gun to shoot rabbits in the pasture at 7 years old.

John and Caroline were predominately farmers and lived in several places around Dell Rapids, SD. Barbara mostly remembered the rented farm place SE of Dell Rapids with no indoor plumbing. Life in rural Dell Rapids, in the Depression, included a lot of hard work. Barbara helped with the animal chores, working in the fields tying hay bales with wire and taking care of the garden. As a teen, Barb was a 4H member and took cattle, flowers and vegetables to the county fair.

Barbara started driving at an early age and recalled ‘driving’ the tractor during harvest at the tender age of 8. Her job was to hold the wheels steady until the end of the row where someone would make the corner and reset Barb at the wheel. She also took over driving into town for Grandma Caroline at the age of 11. Here is where her love of driving was born!

Barbara also remembered driving her mother into town for the Catholic Daughters meetings. While the other ladies were chatting during the card game, Barbara was paying attention. The result was she won first prize several times and her love of cards and winning was also born. Years later, when she and Vince vacationed in Mexico, Barbara got great delight in playing cards and winning, drink and food coupons.

Barbara was creative and learned best by doing. She had an artist’s eye for color, fashion and design. She taught herself how to do many things including how to sew, crochet, knit and develop her ‘laundry mavin’ skills. Mom told us about modifying a dress several times for different dances to have a ‘new look’ for each event. Barbara has a knack for textiles whether it was getting stains out of laundry items, mending something worn and torn or creating something new, Mom had an eye and a talent for it. Many of us were blessed by her and these valuable homemaking skills.

Barb attended St. Mary’s Academy in Dell Rapids, SD. Barb and Vincent Ahlers were both in the first grade together. Vince always said he “met his bride” in the first grade. Their families knew each other from church and the small Dell Rapids community and with the marriage of their older siblings Ambrose and Evelyn in 1948. Barbara and her family lived 8 miles SE of Dell Rapids, and Vince and his family lived 8 miles NW of town, so they weren’t neighbors and school was their common ground. Their first date was a sophomore dance. She also was a cheerleader for the basketball team that Vince played on.

In 1955, after graduation, Barbara wanted to pursue nursing. Without money available for her to go on to school, the next best thing was to work for “very little money” as a ‘Candy Striper’ at McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD. Her first night “on the floor” was pivotal for Barbara. She checked on a patient and found him deceased. Startled, Barb covered his face with the bed sheet, turned out the light and didn’t tell anyone! She was sternly told that was NOT the correct procedure and the following night she was assigned to the Maternity Ward making “sterile packs”. Soon after, she answered a newspaper ad and worked in a photography studio in Sioux Falls before landing a job with the telephone company. She worked in the business office where she remembers having to “balance to the penny every day”. In addition to her day job, Barb took care of her nephews Bill and Tom and niece Janice in the evenings. A testimony to her willingness to work hard and help when and where she could.

Barbara and Vince were engaged Christmas Eve 1957 and married April 12,1958 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Dell Rapids, SD. They soon moved to Rapid City, SD where Vince attended college. Those college years were very lean and difficult for both of them. They were on the opposite side of the state from their families, living in a converted garage, and both did many odd jobs to make ends meet. Barbara took in laundry and mending and helped their landlords with gardening and housework. The newlyweds soon started their family in Rapid City with a daughter (Kim) born in 1959 and a son (Kevin) born the following year.

In 1962, with a college degree to their credit, they moved to Minneapolis where Vince had his first engineering job and Barbara gave birth to their second son (Michael). They bought their first house in Brooklyn Center, MN and in 1966 their fourth child, a son (Mark) was born. Vince’s job required a lot of travel which left Barb at home as a ‘single parent’ weeks on end. In 1967, an extended job took Barb and Vince and their young family to live in South Africa. It was a life-changing event for all of us.

The lakeshore property in Plymouth was their family home after returning from South Africa in 1968 until 2023. Those 50+ years were filled with making a home and raising a family. Barbara also worked for Dayton’s retiring after 25 years, excelling in many different departments.

From 2005 to 2019 Vince and Barbara enjoyed traveling to Mexico where they stayed at their favorite resort spot near Puerto Vallarta. Barb enjoyed going to estate sales, refinishing furniture and re-selling those pieces at her garage sales. She had a passion for re-arranging her furniture and sprucing up her home. She was always on the lookout for a sale or a deal or a discount.

Barb attended Mass regularly and supported her church with service, time and treasure. She was fond of helping as part of the funeral lunch crew.

Barbara lived in Brooklyn Park for the past 3 years to be close to Vince in his memory care facility. He passed in October 2024. In December 2024, Barbara was able to make one more trip to her favorite Mexico vacation spot with her children. She enjoyed hosting the neighborhood picnics, and visits with her family and friends before passing September 23, 2026.

We will remember to “Call when we get home”.

Survived by daughter, Kim (David); sons, Kevin (Shari), Michael (Susan) & Mark; grandchildren, Thomas (Brittany), Matthew, Sean, Brian (Alysha), Christopher, Marie (Chris), Amanda (Mark), Sierra (Joey) and Isaac; great-grandchildren, Hudson, Sydney, Eden, Levi, Zion and Ruth; sister, Carolyn; brother and sisters-in-law, Arnold, Bonnie and Joan.

Mass of Christian Burial 10:30 AM Thursday, October 8th, at The Church of St. Vincent de Paul, 9100 93rd Ave. N., Brooklyn Park with visitation beginning at 9:30 AM. Interment at Gethsemane Cemetery, New Hope.

No flowers please, memorials to St. Jude for Children.