Barbara Ellen Condie

Barbara Ellen Condie

We lost our mother and grandmother, Barbara Ellen Condie, age 88, on Dec. 21, 2021. Barbara was born on Nov. 11, 1933, in Rock Springs, Wyoming, the daughter of Thomas and Panzey Blackwell. She grew up in the small coal mining town of Superior, Wyoming, and graduated from Superior High School in 1951. Barbara then attended Central Business College in Denver. Her first job out of school was as a secretary with Denver Mattress Company.

On Oct. 31, 1953, she married Donald Condie at the Church of Christ in Rock Springs. They were married 57 years before his passing in 2011. Barbara spent the early years of their marriage raising their children, but then returned to the workforce in the early 1970s. She went back to work as a secretary for an engineering firm and then worked for many years for PP&L at Bridger Coal as a word processor until her retirement in 1992. Barbara and Don moved to Billings in 2004. They both enjoyed the fellowship at the Church of Christ in Billings. In 2016, Barbara moved in with her daughter Denise due to declining health.

Barbara had an artistic side and really enjoyed ceramics for many, many years She took numerous classes on advanced ceramic techniques, ending up with the equivalent of a masters in ceramic arts. She also quilted and made quilts for her children and grandchildren. She really enjoyed birding, and always had her birding binoculars and bird book nearby. She had a beautiful, large collection of ceramic birds.

Barbara is survived by her daughter, Denise Jensen and husband Blake of Billings; and daughter Ellen Hinesley and husband Dan of Rock Springs; six grandchildren, Calvin (Jamie) Jensen, Amy (Eric) Spooner, Bryanne Gutierrez, Jennifer (Jason) Warner, Erin Hinesley and Camie Olah; six great-grandchildren, Danni, Joey, Jordyn, Bailey, Caleb and Alyson; two great-great-grandchildren, Thomas and Sutton; lastly, her sisters-in-law, Beverly Blackwell and Betty Blackwell.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Donald; her son, Ross Condie; her parents; her two brothers, Samuel Blackwell and Thomas Blackwell; and her sister, Zelda Dona.

A memorial service will be planned for this spring.