Barbara Lee Leckwold

Longtime Palmer resident Mrs. Barbara Lee Leckwold, 85, died March 11, 2011, of natural causes at the Palmer Veterans and Pioneers Home.

A memorial potluck gathering for family and friends will be at 2 p.m., March 20, at the Palmer Moose Lodge, 1136 South Cobb St. A ceremony will be performed by the Pioneers of Alaska Auxiliary 11. Barbara’s ashes will be scattered at the family homestead outside of Palmer.

Barbara was born Dec. 12, 1925, to Ralph Andrew and Helen Julia (Anderson) Fitzsimmons in Puyallup, Wash. Her family first moved to Anchorage in 1940, where she graduated from Anchorage High School in 1944. Barbara married her high school sweetheart, Harry Leckwold. They built their first home in Airport Heights, where they lived for 10 years. In 1960, they moved to Palmer with their four children. In 1962, the family moved to Barbara’s in-law’s homestead at the Four Corners area, where they built their second home. She also spent summer weekends with her family at their Big Lake cabin.

Barbara worked many places during her earlier years, then started working for the USDA/ARS at the Agricultural Experiment Station in 1964, from which she retired in 1985. She went to work for the Mat-Su School District until she retired again. Barbara also volunteered in the gift store at the Palmer Senior Center.

Barbara had been very involved with Rainbow Girls, Soroptimist, Red Hat Society, Pioneers of Alaska Auxiliary No. 11 and Beta Sigma Phi. Many people remember Barbara working at the cotton candy booth at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer. In her spare time, she loved to do her needlepoint, puzzles and play pinochle with her friends. She also loved going to the local performing arts theater.

“Family was extremely important to Barbara. She was a kind, loving and giving person, and donated to many charities,” wrote the family.

Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph and Helen Fitzsimmons; husband, Harry Leckwold; stepfather, Doug Prescott; sister, Colleen Schumacher; and daughter, Sandra Handley.

She is survived by her brother and wife, Jim and Ruth Fitzsimmons of Reno Nev.; sons and daughters-in-law, Brian and Louise Leckwold of Middleburg, Fla., and David and Marjory Leckwold of Wasilla; daughter and son in-law, Laurie and Phil Wilson of Wasilla; son in-law, Al Handley of Vancouver, Wash.; grandchildren, Desiree, Michelle, Jacie, DJ, Tracy, Colin, Amie, Shon, Keith and Chad; and 12 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Barbara’s memory to the Palmer Senior Center, 831 S. Chugach St. Palmer, AK 99645.

Arrangements were by Valley Funeral Home and Crematory, alaskanfuneral.com.