Barbara J. Needham

Barbara J. Boehnke Needham, 87, of Spring Park, MN, passed away Wednesday, May 7, 2025.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, May 23, 2025, at Mount Olive Lutheran Church, 5218 Bartlett Blvd., Mound, MN, with Pastor Michael Michalk officiating. Graveside services will be held 11 a.m., Saturday, May 24th at St. John’s Lutheran Church Cemetery east of Garner with Pastor Mark Lund from St. John’s Lutheran Church officiating.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the church. Cataldo Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Barbara Jo Needham, the daughter of Raymond and Ruby (Hage) Boehnke, was born on January 23, 1938, in Mason City, Iowa. She attended St. John’s Parochial School until the eighth grade and graduated from Ventura High School in 1955. In 1958, she was married to Richard Needham. Barbara attended Iowa Methodist School of Nursing and Drake University in Des Moines where she received her RN degree. Barbara worked in hospitals in Iowa, Texas, Illinois and Minnesota. She continued her education at the University of Minnesota studying child psychology and criminal justice. She then worked with the homeless and mentally ill people in Minnesota until her retirement in 2010. Barbara enjoyed reading, studying, painting, sketching, the ocean, swimming, tent camping, playing the piano, organ, and accordion.

She was a member of Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Mound and the Minneapolis Institute of Art and Sierra Club.

Barbara is survived by her three sons, David (Robyn) Needham of Spring Park, MN, Jonathan (Tammy) Needham of Waconia, MN and Patrick Needham of Snoqualmie, WA; seven grandchildren, Zachary, Nikkie, Joshua (Amanda), Autumn (Chris) Megan Marie, Dillon and Ashley; seven great-grandchildren; three sisters, Virginia (Don) Brocker of Woodbury, MN, Patricia (Dick) Nordman of Arlington Heights, IL and Rebecca (David) Ziesmer of Garner; former daughters-in-law, Teresa Nesenson of Excelsior, MN and Kami Skomosoyvog of Waconia, MN; many nieces and nephews; and dear friend, Kristi Hutchison of St. Boni, MN.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ray and Ruby; sister, Kay Lundebrek; and former husband, Richard Needham of Des Moines.