Barbara Henrichs

Feb 22, 1928 -

Sep 7, 2025

Our beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Barbara Enid Henrichs, passed away at her home in Fairbanks, Alaska, on Sept. 7, 2025, after a long illness. She was born in Corvallis, Ore., to Arnold Burrier and Helen Kimball Burrier in 1928. After graduating from Corvallis High School and the University of Oregon, she was a high school English teacher until moving to Anchorage, Alaska, in 1951. Barbara met and married her husband Glen Henrichs in 1951, and they soon welcomed their children, Susan and Allan. Barbara devoted herself to her family until her children reached high school age and then worked as an administrative assistant.

After her retirement she became a very active and valued volunteer for several organizations, primarily the Z. J. Loussac Library and the Anchorage Literacy Project. Barbara earned many awards for her service, including the Alaska 1st Lady's Volunteer Award in 2000. In 2002, she received the John L. Hulbert Award from the Alaska Adult Education Association for outstanding, long-term contributions to adult learning. She loved long walks and the birds and flowers she saw along the way. Fiercely independent, she lived on her own in her Anchorage home of 70 years until an injury at age 94 persuaded her to join her daughter in Fairbanks.

Barbara was predeceased by her husband and her brother Stuart Edward Burrier. She is survived by her children, Susan and Allan (Catherine); grandchildren, Ben (Casey), Lucas, Jaclyn and Rebecca (Adam Bayless) Cheek and Amanda (Paul Killinger), Brian (Lindy) and Jacob (Sarah) Henrichs; and great-grandchildren, Anson, Abel, Alouette, Audric, Oliver, Mara and the one who is due in a few months.

At Barbara's request there will be no services. We thank her Anchorage neighbors Jeff and Minnie for their help and friendship, her Fairbanks caregivers Mary and Fin, and Hospice of the Tanana Valley.