Barbara Jean Hendrie

Barbara Jean Pantier Pence Hendrie went home to her Lord on Wednesday, November 11, 2020, at the young age of 85 years. Barbara was born on September 4, 1935 in Lamar, Colorado to Floyd & Lila Ruth (Quick) Pantier.

She graduated from La Junta High School in 1953. After graduation, she married Louis Pence and they had two children, Debra and Cheryl. Upon their divorce she moved back to her beloved valley and, with two small children, she found time to attend night school for stenography where she learned typing and shorthand. This brought her to employment by the Otero County Department of Social Services where she worked until she retired. She eventually became the Supervisor of Eligibility and held that position for years. She often said she only wanted to help people in her life, and that is what she did. She was known by many people because of her job and because she lived in the valley all her life except for a brief time in California.

In her spare time, she hunted and was an excellent marksman with a high powered rifle, taking antelope every year as well as the many varmints and the bobcat she had mounted and displayed in the family room. In the beautiful Colorado summers, she liked to fly fish near Gunnison. She liked to read and passed that love of literature on to both of her daughters from a very early age, holding them in her lap and reading books to them. She loved to play cards and dominoes and, like many in her family, she played to win but also taught her daughters to be gracious in defeat. Later in life she hunted antique glassware. She had an extensive collection of old perfume bottles, pressed glass and lamps. She was a woman of many interests and talents.

She is survived by her daughters, Deb (Maynard) Tobin of Spring, TX and Cheri (Dennis) Loudermilk of Turtletown, TN; her brother, Dale (Lois) Pantier; three grandchildren, Matthew Tobin, Stephen Tobin and Nicole (Blake) Besselman; two great-grandchildren, Taton and Savannah Besselman; many nieces, nephews, and cousins who still reside in the La Junta area. She will be sorely missed. She is preceded in death by her parents and bonus parents, Lila (mother) and Joseph Smiley and Floyd (father) and Marie Pantier; her sisters, Betty Selvage, Wanda Holderby, and Arlita Beebe.

As per her wish, the family has chosen cremation with her ashes resting with her mother, Lila. There will be no service at this time due to COVID, but the family plans to have a celebration of her life at a later date.

Online condolences may be made at www.PeacockFH.com. Peacock-Larsen Funeral Home & Arkansas Valley Crematory is in charge of arrangements.