Barbara Geurin

Barbara (Trom) Geurin, age 82, of Fargo, ND, passed away peacefully under the care of Hospice of the Red River Valley, on April 7, 2014, surrounded by her three daughters. 

Barbara Gertrude (Trom) Geurin was born on March 23, 1932 in Kindred, ND to Gordon and Hazel (Myhra) Trom.  She graduated from West Fargo High School.  After she completed her schooling, she worked as a nanny in the Fargo area.  She enlisted in the Air Force in 1951.  Her basic training took place at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX.  Much of her time was spent as a clerk stenographer at Randolph Headquarters in San Antonio where she achieved the rank of Airman First Class.  She married Paul Geurin on January 9, 1954 at Davenport Lutheran Church.  They moved to Anchorage, AK for two years while her husband was stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base.   Barbara and Paul and their family moved many times over the years including time spent in Savannah, Georgia, Little Rock, Arkansas, South Dakota, Nevada, Okinawa, and Tennessee,  until they finally settled in North Dakota.  Barbara worked with Fredrikson Funeral Chapel in Kindred, ND for a time doing light housekeeping.  She applied at St. Luke’s (later MeritCare) and they hired her on the spot for a position as a Nurse’s Aid.  She worked there for 23 years on the surgery and orthopedic floors.  Barbara retired in 1994.  She lived in Moorhead, MN for 21 years and then moved to River Square Apartments in Fargo in 2002.  She recently lived at Riverview and the assisted living unit, Crosshaven.

Barbara enjoyed sewing quilts, clothing, and life size dolls. (She made over 300 life size dolls when the girls were in grade school)  She was a very creative and artistic person and an accomplished quilter. She also enjoyed knitting, crocheting and even carpentry.    She especially enjoyed time spent with friends, playing cards, and participation in the Red Hat Lady’s Club.  She was a lifetime gardener and recycler. She always found time to volunteer in unstructured ways.    

Barbara is survived by three children, Melinda (Bruce) Walker, West Fargo, ND; Sandra (Charles) Klinkhammer, Fargo, ND; Laurie Muscha, Walcott, ND; 6 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; one brother, Wallace Trom, Tempe, AZ; brother-in-law, Richard Steen, Round Lake, MN; many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul; her parents, Gordon and Bernice Trom; two sisters, Marlys Drenth and Carol Steen, brother, Robert Trom; and two sister-in-laws, Marie Trom, Kathy Trom; grandson, Alexander Klinkhammer.