Barbara Dianne Dekleva

Barbara Dianne Dekleva, 90, went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Tuesday, August 27, 2019.  She is survived by her son, Michael Joseph Dekleva and wife Suzanne; daughter, Jennifer Dianne Denman and husband Stephen; stepdaughter, Stephanie Altig and husband Rick; her five amazing grandchildren who loved her dearly, David Denman, Kathryn Denman, Lauren Dekleva, Lindsay Dekleva, and Michael Joshua Dekleva; her beloved cousin, David Yeaw; and her two life-long best friends, Madelyn Mash and Joan Tuttle.  Barbara was preceded in death by her “forever sweetheart,” Felix Joseph Dekleva; and by her mother, Dorothy Philp.

Barbara lived an extraordinary life.  Barbara was born and raised in Rochester, New York, and graduated from the University of Rochester School of Nursing in 1950. She was the co-founder and co-editor of the Delray Beach Florida Shopping Guide, and practiced emergency room and office nursing in Rochester, Phoenix and San Francisco.  Barbara, ever the socialite, owned and drove an MG convertible sports car, hosted many parties, and performed as a cast member in the Phoenix Civic Light Opera’s production of the musical, “Kismet.”  In 1960, Barbara met the love of her life, Felix Dekleva, while working in the emergency department of a Phoenix Hospital.  Felix was a patient in the ER, and told the physician on duty to “get that pretty nurse’s phone number, because if I survive, I’m going to ask her out.”  The rest, as they say, is history.  After a whirlwind romance, they married on November 30, 1961.  They moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where Felix worked for the Federal Aviation Administration and Barbara devoted herself to raising their two children, Michael and Jennifer.  To say that Barbara was a devoted mother would be an understatement. Barbara was a cub scout den mother, frequent classroom volunteer, social activities coordinator, purveyor of cultural activities, confidant, disciplinarian, and the transportation to many ballet lessons, basketball practices, and many other activities. Michael and Jennifer’s friends were welcomed into the Dekleva home, and remember Barbara fondly, in some cases as their “second mother.”  After her children were grown, Barbara bred and raised Shih Tzu puppies and was a devoted grandmother.  It was her role as grandmother that she cherished the most in life.  If you ask any of her grandchildren, they will tell you about her influence in their lives, the one-on-one time that they got to spend with her, and the many activities and outings that she attended or took them on.  After Felix’s passing, Barbara moved in with her daughter Jennifer, son-in-law, Steve, and grandchildren Dave and Katy.  She accompanied the Denman family to various activities and social outings, served as a leader of the Friendship Club at Hope Church, worked in the church nursery, and acquired many friends who named her “Grandma Barb.”  Barbara loved, in no particular order, green chile chicken enchiladas, Oreo McFlurries, Merlot, Chloe the pug, singing, hummingbirds, butterflies, every dog she ever met, and the music of Fernando Ortega and Leontyne Price. Barbara was loved by many people, and maintained her warm, gentle, joyous personality and mischievous wit to the very end of her life.  Barbara will be greatly missed by everyone who was privileged to know her.  The family would like to extend a special thank you to those individuals who cared for Barbara during the last months of her life, including Marie Gonzales, Linda Charzuk, Elizabeth Lopez, Marietta Luena, Leslie McDowell, Dr. Joy Lovette, and the staff at Hospice of New Mexico.

Services for Barbara will take place Friday, September 6, 2019, 10:00 a.m., at FRENCH - Lomas, with a reception to follow, with interment at Gate of Heaven Cemetery and Mausoleum, 7500 Paseo Del Norte, NE. Pallbearers are Michael Dekleva, Stephen Denman, David Denman, Michael Joshua Dekleva, Jeffrey Williams, and Larry Welch.  David Yeaw is an honorary pallbearer.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Animal Humane Society in Barbara’s name.