Barbara Ann Mulgrave, 85, of Bloomfield, Iowa passed away on March 1, 2025 at the Davis County Hospital in Bloomfield. She was born on February 10, 1940 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Albert E. and Virginia Haraldson Moore.
Barbara and her siblings were “Navy Brats” and moved every few years across the country to different naval bases while growing up. She started high school in Newport, Rhode Island and Norfolk, Virginia then spent her last two years at North Chicago near Great Lakes Naval Base, graduating in 1957. After graduation, her family moved to California, before Barbara moved to Iowa in 1958 where her folks were born and raised – and family still lived. She had fond memories from her childhood in the Yale and Fort Dodge area. Barbara was working in Des Moines when she met Kenneth Lippert from Bloomfield, Iowa. They married in 1959 and had three children, Mike who was born in Des Moines, Valerie Sue and David, who were both born during the eight-year span they lived in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area.
After working in the health field for 20 years, she was hired by SEIDA Community Action in 1985 to be coordinator for the Bloomfield office. A wise man once said, “Choose a job you love and you never have to work a day in your life.” She found the perfect job working with families and assisting them with the programs that SEIDA offered for the next 29 years, eventually retiring in 2014. During her working time, she remembered a quote from her favorite president, Abraham Lincoln, “Whatever you are, be a good one!” She believed in that while working with many clients over the years and also with her co-workers.
Barbara was concerned about the environment, especially trees. She was also passionate about equal rights for women and the prevention of child abuse. She loved the music of the Eagles and country songs by George Jones and Don Williams. Barbara also loved playing Yahtzee, doing crossword puzzles, playing Mahjong on her laptop, and watching DVDs of British mysteries: especially Midsomer Murders and Agatha Christie. Her one regret was not visiting England but she continued to watch many British movies and read BBC history books.
Barbara loved to decorate for the holidays, especially Halloween and Christmas. It grew to a year-round activity with Easter, spring holidays, and summer holidays. She loved the festive colors all year long.
She is survived by two sons, Mike Lippert, David Lippert both of Bloomfield; two grandchildren, Macy Lippert of Bloomfield, Ryan (Niki) Lippert of Melcher-Dallas; stepson, Jayce Heiden; two great-grandchildren, Willow Ann Marie Lippert, Oden Lippert; sister, Carolyn (Bill) Redding of San Clemente, California; two brothers, Alan (Sandie) Moore of Laguna Niguel, California, Gary (Patti) Moore of Gig Harbor, Washington; and her cat, Callie.
