Barbara Louise Liljestrand

Barbara Louise Liljestrand, 100, of Traverse City, was sleeping at home in the bed that she was born in when she passed peacefully from this earth to be with the Lord, on April 19, 2025.

Barbara was born on October 20, 1924, to William Everett and Mamie (Berry) Mills in Malden, Missouri.

After graduating from Malden High School, Barbara moved to Chicago and spent time working and going to school there. She attended Wheaton College, as well as The Art Institute of Chicago. On December 22, 1946, she married Sven Herman Liljestrand, who (though they had previously met a few times at church youth meetings) captured her eye and her heart when she caught sight of him, dapperly dressed, complete with handsome overcoat and felt fedora, during an Easter Sunrise Service at Soldier Field, in Chicago. They wed in Malden, her hometown.

Barbara could not wait to be a wife and a mother and they began their family not long after their wedding. Six children were borne to Barbara and Sven, over 13 years. Over the years, she was able to spend some of her time working outside the home and enjoyed library work at public and school libraries, always finding work in the various places they lived, including the Traverse City Public Library at its location on 6th Street where her children could be found spending time after school and later at the Junior High 7th grade library before moving from the area.

Homemaking and family remained a big interest in her life, including making Christmases special, camping trips essential, sewing clothing when her children were young, making quilts for each grandchild, small-farming, gardening, and canning. She was always interested in learning about self-sufficiency and growing one's own food. She realized a dream at around retirement age of tending a farm that included chickens, ducks, geese, and a cow named Abigail who birthed twin calves. Not to mention, she made the best scrambled eggs and the best cinnamon rolls made from biscuit dough that we are still trying to perfect.

For many years, Barbara would supply each of her progeny with travel pillows fashioned with a special, but simple, pillow case in fabric selected and sewn by her. It was in her heart and wish that those recipients would use them on awe-inspiring road trips to come, as her own children had experienced as the family traveled around the southwestern USA and the Ozarks of Missouri and Arkansas. The creativity in making the quilts and the pillow cases, choosing the fabrics, were a testament to her artistry. She was an artist and was able to express that art in many ways, including even the way she designed a beautiful vegetable garden. That's not all, Barbara had a beautiful alto singing voice and participated in many harmonious hymns of "special music." She had a great love of the traditional hymns from the church hymnbook.

All the while, she was studying her bible, making many notes, learning the scriptures, becoming more like her Savior, Jesus Christ, growing, reflecting Him to others in her life, and always faithfully praying for those she loved and the world in general. She had a way of making everyone she met, even in recent months, feel important and loved, always downplaying herself.

Barbara is survived by five of her children, Timothy (Jeanne) Liljestrand, Jonathan (Pamela) Liljestrand, Maryteja Liljestrand Murray, C. Beth Liljestrand Hardy, and Linnea (Stephen) Johnson; 15 grandchildren in this order: Angela, Peter, Scott, Benjamin, Elisabeth, Nathan, Christopher, Leah, Michael, Sarah, Jessica, Daniel, Sarah, Nathaniel, and Josiah, and a step-grandchild, John; 28 great grandchildren; and 4 great great grandchildren and one on the way; and many beloved nieces and nephews and their families.

Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, Mamie and William Everett Mills; her husband, Sven; her beloved daughter, Svea Ruth Liljestrand; son-in-law, Joseph Murray; siblings Virginia Baker, William Charles Mills (aged 1), Martha Susan (Marsu) Deal, Patricia (Pat) Cooper, William (Bill) Everett Mills, Jr, nephew, Barry Cooper, nephew, Daniel Baker, and great grandson, Matthew David Johnson.

The funeral service will be held on Monday, April 28, 2025, at 11:00 am, with visitation beginning one hour prior at Reynolds Jonkhoff Funeral Home. Graveside service will follow at Kasson Township Cemetery on Cemetery road, in Maple City. Clothing note: This is a celebration of our mother who had great taste and loved color. We encourage you to be comfortable and avoid dressing in black, unless it's your favorite Sunday suit or your color.

If you are unable to attend the service, you may watch it at www.rjfh.tv

Memorial contributions in her honor may be directed to Chosen People Ministries Serving The Jewish People Since 1894 // Chosen People Ministries or Thru the Bible, with J. Vernon McGee TTB Store

Please visit www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com to share your memories and condolences with her family.