January 15, 1932 – May 18, 2025
Barbara Grieb – Wife, mom, grandmother, aunt, cousin, friend – slipped away from us and into the arms of Jesus. Rejoice with us that she’s out of pain and with Jesus. Dad has lost his best friend and companion, many others mourn her loss yet rejoice in the hope of heaven.
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13 NLT
My Testimony Written by Barbara in 2004
I must say that through my life God has drawn me to Himself and put a bubble of protection over me. I was born in Los Angeles, CA. My parents did not go to church but both were raised with Christian values. My Dad was raised in a strict Christian home but rebelled and started drinking in High School. He was very good at sports and was very popular.
When I was two-years-old my mother started taking me to Sunday School and she was faithful to raise me a Christian, but only went to church on Easter and Christmas. She worked very hard to support me. But God had his hand on me and always gave me a desire to love God and learn more about Jesus. So when I was old enough I walked to the nearest church. When I was about four my Mother purchased a clothes cleaning business because my father would spend his money at the bar before he came home with his paycheck.
At that time God was dealing with me about accepting Him as my Savior but because I was afraid to be baptized (I would have to go under water…I almost drowned when I was four). I didn’t. But later in life I asked God, “When?” He had me remember a time my Mother, who was now divorced, was on a date and I repented of my sin and cried kneeling before a old rocking chair. Although at about 12-years-old, I didn’t have assurance I was saved because I didn’t obey church rules…like don’t go to movies do this and that.
When I was 12 & 13 my life had many changes. My parents divorced and there was no more fighting, drinking or being afraid of my father. My mother married again and my step-father was good to me. He was into drilling oil wells and in my senior year of High School they became very wealthy. Most of all I turned my life over to Jesus and wanted to be baptized to show He was my LORD. Soon after I met my now husband, Carl, who lived in Arroyo Grande, who was from a farm and cattle raising family. We wrote letters for five years. When I got a step-sister and brother who lived close to AG, I was able to see Carl about once a month. He too was a Christian and my faith continued to grow. I continued to work with the LORD through High School and now thru 54 years of marriage (updated 2020 70 years). In 2004, Carl and I have three daughters who love the Lord. We have seven grandchildren and seven great-grandsons and they all live on our ranch except two in Oregon. We are blessed to see them also growing in the Lord.
At 19 I dedicated my life to the Lord to serve him wherever the Lord led me. Since I had a new baby and my husband and I had a dairy, I began to teach Sunday School and then Junior Church. In 1957 God called me to reach children and I became a Child Evangelist and do a a weekly Bible Class in a neighborhood, labor camp or whatever town or home he lead me to. I love to teach women and children and especially boys, as I was a tomboy growing up on a block of boys. Today camping and riding horses are still my favorite things to do – Beach Meadows in the Sierra’s was a favorite.
I feel so privileged to be here to teach women and children as God gave me a love to do that. I love the The LORD Jesus and his Word the Bible. It is true and if we follow it we will have a full and abundant life as He has promised. In my life and in my family we have experienced divorce, abuse, suicide, rejection, death, drought and loss of business, cancer and many trials. But Jesus has been there and took us through every time. He is a wonderful Savior.
To view Barbara’s memorial slide show see this link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0NwtgqlXG_KIMs7yJTcZ1w