Barbara Ann Honn

 Barbara Ann Carlton Honn (82) of Meridian, Idaho passed away April 26, 2022 surrounded by her loving family.  Barbara suffered a stroke December 23, 2013 and has suffered with the effects of the stroke since that time.  Barbara was born on March 17, 1940, to Maurice Lloyd Carlton and Helen Aileen Wilson in Hollywood, California. Barbara was born on a unique day in which St. Patrick’s Day and Palm Sunday occurred on the same day.  It was the first time the two anniversaries coincided since 1799 and would not occur again for 291 years, in 2231.  Perhaps those who know her would agree that this unique and special day was a foreshadowing of a unique and special life to come for Barbara! 

 Barbara grew up as an only child. (Something she would remedy in later years by having a large family of her own!)  As an only child she had to learn to entertain herself.  She roamed the hills surrounding her home all day long enjoying her freedom, learning to love nature, climbing trees, catching crawdads, and scouting around.  She also learned to love reading. She said, regarding being an only child, “If I was lonely, it only set me up to seek that peace and happiness I began to find whenever I drew closer to God.”  She observed her father’s search for God and contemplated God frequently herself, pondering on concepts about Him through the years.

 As a child she attended a small private school, Campbell Hall Episcopal School, where she began to shine as an artist among her peers. She enjoyed Drama Club, Chi Delta, volleyball, basketball and baseball.  (She won first place awards in baseball throw - maybe this is where Cassie got her throwing arm?)  Barbara was passionate about horses, loved horseback riding, beachcombing, tide pools, boating, sailing, chicken dinner at Knott’s Berry Farm, and Catalina and Balboa Islands. Barbara graduated from Hollywood High School in 1958 where she served as President of the Beta Phi Delta Sorority her senior year, was a member of the drill team, glee club and school choir.  Her schooling experiences were elite and she was a top student, greatly encouraged by her father.  She then attended Los Angeles Community College where she completed the Dental Assistant Certification Program in 1959.

 Barbara married her high school sweetheart, Joe Ellison Erway on September 4, 1959.  While he was going through school, she worked as a dental assistant for 4 years.  She met wonderful mentors, made lifelong friends and memories along the way.  In anticipation of Joe’s graduation,  her desire to start a family became overpowering.  Barbara was thrilled for this new chapter of her life, as one of her fondest dreams was to become a mother and have a large family of her own.  Barbara and Joe were blessed by Scott in 1963 and Cortland in 1966.  Her dream of a large family was beginning to be realized.  However, despite her best efforts, her marriage to Joe came to an end. 

 Barbara met Douglas Hugh Honn playing volleyball and felt an immediate connection.  They became inseparable.  Of Doug she said, “Doug was true to his word - he tried in every way he could to win the boys over, and won even more of my heart in the process.”  They were happy!  Barbara and Doug were married on Saturday, April 4th, 1970.  They made every effort to build upon and unite this new family unit.  They decorated the boys bedroom in a nautical theme, took trips, went camping and made fun memories.  Doug was later able to adopt Scott and Cortland.  Doug and Barbara were blessed with Jason in 1974, Amanda in 1976, Tyler in 1978, and Cassandra in 1981.  She finally felt like her wonderful, large family was complete!   

 Barbara admittedly had a “Walton Complex” wanting to create a wonderful, warm, big, loving family as was depicted in the popular television show of the time, The Waltons. Perhaps part of building this dream occurred when prayers were answered and Barbara found an ad in the Los Angeles Times newspaper for De Dee Box Factory in Emmett, Idaho!  Miracles occurred, things fell into place and the family began a new chapter, moving to Idaho in September of 1972 where the adventure that became Honco began.  Idaho country living helped suit the dream she wanted to build for her family.

 Through her growing up years, she observed her father become passionate and excited about learning new things, which is likely where Barb inherited her “curiosity and enthusiasm for ‘plunging in’ with so many various interests throughout (her) life.”  She explored learning, gaining knowledge and skills for personal growth and development, and to improve her life and the lives of her family.  She loved how-to books.  She was heavily involved in art!  She studied oil painting, acrylics, and watercolors; winning awards for her work and selling many paintings through the years.  She taught art classes.  She was talented at three dimensional art and enjoyed pottery and ceramics.  She was a talented photographer, her family being her favorite subjects!  (Much to her teenagers’ chagrin!)  She said of her art that her “ultimate goal has always been to learn my crafts well enough that I can express on paper or canvas or clay my deepest feelings.  My testimony of how much God loves each of us.  To lift the viewer to feeling good…because the world has been shut away, and virtue, peace, light…goodness, has taken its place.  I hope to interpret God’s creations in an emotional…not literal way.”  She became a proficient seamstress, sewing gifts and clothing for her family.  She had an enormous love and passion for genealogy!  She spent countless hours finding family names, searching, indexing, taking trips to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City to do research, serving in family history callings, leading and teaching others, and organizing and indexing two different family history libraries!  She tried her hand at being a “lady farmer” raising animals such as goats, chickens, turkeys, and a pig and, of course, always loved their household family pets. She kept a large garden that kept her busy canning all her home-grown produce.  She loved learning ways to be self-sufficient.  She was also passionate about healthy lifestyle and diet, leading others to do the same.  Her skills and talents are many and varied! Many of her paintings, sculptures, and genealogical books are displayed proudly in friend’s and family’s homes. 

 When reflecting on her father’s passion to learn new things, she says “what I remember most was his search to find God.”  Barbara shared his passion to find God.  She learned about and participated in many different churches and religions through the years, but ultimately didn’t feel right about any of them.  However, she continued to seek God and develop a relationship with her Savior.  She tried to maintain the good spiritual habits she had formed in her past, such as study, prayer and meditation; but she had given up hope of finding any one church that could answer all of her questions.  Then one day as she was playing Jesus Christ Superstar on the stereo, missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints knocked on her door.  She answered with a drink in her hand!  She didn’t make it easy for the Elders!  She had a lifetime of questions, but through the missionaries and others, they were able to give her the answers she was looking for.  She said, “I had finally found the Church I had searched for my entire life.  There are no words to describe my feelings.”  Barbara, with her passion and tendency to “plunge in” immersed herself and her family in this new religion and has been an incredibly faithful, devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints.  She has taught, served and loved others.  She has given of herself and her testimony and brightened the lives of so many.  She has served countless callings, including a mission to the Church Education System in Mesa, Arizona in Institute Support work where she made lifelong friends, giving selflessly to bless and enrich the lives of those around her.  

 To know her is to love her and to be loved in return.  She had a way of making everyone feel number one instead of one of many.  She had a talent for making a friend in every situation and was everyone’s biggest fan.

 She is a beloved wife and mother.  She gave her heart and soul to fulfill her dream of creating a warm, happy, peaceful homelife for her big, wonderful family!  She created traditions and an environment of love, learning and growth.  She started with the solitary life of being an only child and created a beautiful legacy of love - a legacy that is now a family of 37 and still growing!  

 Barbara is preceded in death by her husband, Douglas Hugh Honn and her daughter, Cassandra Lyn Nelson. She is survived by her loving children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren: Scott (Beth), Clare, Micheal, Alex; Cortland (Robbie), Cami (Peter, Noah, Alice), Ethan (Elle), Faith; Jason (Sheri), Talia (Tyler), Braden, Cooper, Finley, Gracie; Amanda Fuhriman, Daniel, Jay, Colin; Tyler (Tiffany), Ella, Caden, Olivia, Brooklyn; and (Eric Nelson), Scout.  

 In Barbara’s words, “Dear ones.  Let me leave you with my traditional parting.  Remember who you are!  Lengthen your stride! Oil up! This is your mother speaking!  With all my love forever.”

 Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 21, 2022 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (980 W Central Road Emmett, Idaho 83617). Interment will follow at the Emmett Cemetery. 

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