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Barbara Barduson, almost 100, of Hastings, MN passed away peacefully at home on November 12, 2025.
Barb was born in Slayton, MN to Walt and Mary Lowe. She became a valedictorian of her high school class and was the band director when her teacher was called into WWII. Barb graduated Magna Cum Laude from St. Olaf College with a Home Economics Education degree and as the President of the Honors Society.
Barb began her teaching career in Olivia, MN, where she met her husband, Odell. After marrying in on 6/19/48, she taught in Olivia and Bird Island until she started a family. Barb and Dell had four children: Scott (Gail) Barduson, Jan (Sam) Tripp, Jill (David) Curry, and Steve (Maggie) Barduson. She returned to teaching at Welcome, MN in 1967, prior to moving to Hastings in 1968.
Hired as Executive Director of FHA for the State of MN, she created competitive events for MN as well as WINS KIDS Korps and a March of Dimes partnership. She was part of the core who worked to begin competitive events at the national level. She inspired many of her state and national officers to become successes in the business world. Her daughter Jill followed in her footsteps as a Home Ec teacher and FHA advisor. Her grandson Jonathon has now continued the tradition as an advisor. After retirement, she shifted her energies to helping at Jan’s School of Dance—designing and sewing costumes, and helping to manage ticket sales and backstage at the shows.
While a member of First Lutheran Church in St. James, MN, she served as the School Superintendent, confirmation director, and numerous other roles. At Our Lutheran Church in Hastings, she was known for her faithfulness and for her mentoring through the Bethel Bible Series.
Barb loved golfing, playing bridge, and watching sports of all kinds. She and Dell attended thousands of sporting events for their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. They had Gopher football tickets since 1947.
Barb was a highly intelligent, larger-than-life figure, who spoke her mind and lived life on her terms! Her children knew her expectations without a word spoken and good luck if you didn’t agree with her! However, she maintained a deep love and fierce loyalty to her family, friends, church, and FHA community. Barb was a person that you wanted on your side when facing any obstacles or crossroads in your life.
Preceded in death by her husband, parents, sister Dorothy, and brother Tom, Barb was survived by her four children, twelve grandchildren: Andrew, Beth (Josh) Janzen, Thor (Kali) Tripp, Josh (Alessandra) Tripp, Paul (Leann), Jonathon Curry, Nadia (Trevor) Scott, Erik Curry, Natalie, Nathanael, Lucas, Annika; and nine great grandchildren.
Barb’s Celebration of Life is 11:00 a.m., Friday, November 28th at Starkson Funeral Life Celebration Chapel in Hastings. Interment will be held at Fort Snelling National Cemetery at a later date.
Family and friends are cordially invited to a visitation from 10:00 to 11 a.m., and to a reception/lunch immediately following the service, all at the funeral home on Friday, November 28, 2025 Visit starksonfamily.com to sign the online tribute and to view the memorial video. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Barb Barduson Scholarship Fund at mnfccla. org or the Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church/Hastings.
