Sep. 26, 1932 - Nov. 5, 2021
Date of Service: Nov. 12, 2021
BURLEY – Barbara June (Felton) Draper, an 89-year-old resident of Burley, passed away Friday, November 5, 2021, at Diamond Peak of Burley.
Barbara was born in Portland, Oregon, in 1932, to Thomas Allen Felton and Marguerite Ann Chartian Felton. One of twelve children, to say Barbara’s family was big would be an understatement. Her family moved from Oregon to Paul, Idaho when she was still a young child. There, the family ran a grocery store. Barbara would make her home base in southern Idaho for the rest of her life, although her adventures would take her across the western U.S. and further throughout her life.
Barbara met the love of her life Allen Draper, a U.S. Air Force veteran from Burley. They raised three kids together: Dean, Rhonda, and Bruce. They lost Dean at a young age, and forever carried his spirit with the family. Rhonda and Bruce would bring seven grandchildren into Barbara’s life; six grandsons and one granddaughter; 11 great-grandchildren would follow.
Barbara and Allen loved to play cards and were members of their local Elks Club. Barbara worked for years for Darrell’s Dry Cleaners and even after retirement hers and all of her family members’ jeans would be finely pressed, with the crease just right. In retirement, Barbara and Allen could always be found walking their country neighborhood, picking up cans to recycle and asparagus to pickle. Barbara’s spaghetti brought the family together. She and Allen would friendly disagree on who picked out the steak for a large family dinner depending on whether or not the steak was well received. Barbara and Allen were snowbirds and spent most winters in Arizona and Mexico where they had many friends. The two spent most Octobers along the Salmon River fishing for steelhead. Barbara and Allen were lifelong loves and leaned on each other like trees holding up each other through a strong wind and when Barbara lost Allen in 2019, she was strong but wanted to return to her sweetheart. They are together today.
Barbara is survived by her sister, Beverly; her children, Rhonda Shindle Elquist and Bruce (Brenda) Draper; seven grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her son, Dean; her husband, Allen; her parents, Thomas and Marguerite; and her siblings, Kelly, Bill, Doug, Evelyn, Virginia, Helen, Margie, Maudelou, Pat, and Susie.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 12, at Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, where family and friends may call from 10 until 10:45 a.m. at the funeral home prior to the service.
The family would like to sincerely thank Linda and the staff at Diamond Peak for the exceptional care given to their Mother and would also like to thank Barbara’s hospice nurse Lora.
