Barbara (Peterson) Allbery, 80, of North Platte, passed away on June 13th, 2015, in Lincoln, surrounded by her family.
Barbara was the daughter of Clarence & Evelyn Peterson; born on March 29th, 1935. She graduated from Lincoln High School in 1953. She then married and had three daughters, Marlene, Sharlene & Julie.
Barbara was blessed with musical talent and was a member of the Octect in High School, sang and played the piano and organ in numerous weddings for family and friends and was the Music Director at Trinity Chapel in Rokeby and Lakeview Methodist in Capitol Beach. Barbara also loved entertaining patrons with her organ playing at Lees’ Restaurant and spent much time leading 4H groups focusing on music and sewing.
Around 1967, Barbara began working for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, where she met her second husband, Dwight Allbery. In 1971, Barbara & Dwight married and moved to North Platte, NE where they had two daughters, Rachelle & Rhonda. They made their home in North Platte for 41 years.
Barbara continued playing the organ and piano for weddings, church services and funerals, as well as assisting 4H groups with sewing projects and musical competitions. She and Dwight loved to travel and visited Colorado, Alaska, Hawaii, Newfoundland, New York, Arizona and British Columbia, as well as numerous other locations across the US.
Another passion of Barb’s was her gardening and she was known for her beautiful flowers, especially her iris. She was also an extremely talented seamstress, making wedding and prom dresses for friends and family, creating an outfit in a day for a big event and costumes and outfits for her daughter’s 4H and dance competitions.
Barbara found another avenue to showcase her creativity in 1974 when she began making “Carp-Art”. This ‘hobby’ turned into a family business and led to many traveling experiences for almost 30 years. Trips included Denver, Cheyenne, Sidney, Oklahoma City, Las Vegas, Kansas City, Minot and other small towns around the Midwest.
Barbara worked at Bonnie’s Travel Chain and the Lincoln County Courthouse, was a long-time member of The Eagles Club, and she and Dwight were founding members of the Cody Ringnecks chapter of Pheasants Forever.
Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, Clarence & Evelyn Peterson and her husband, Dwight Allbery.
Barbara is survived by her daughters, Marlene Wiest-Kansas City, Sharlene (David) Carmichael-(Beatrice), Julie Alm- North Platte, Rachelle (Shawn) Allbery-McQuade-North Platte, and Rhonda (Allan) McGill- Lincoln. Her grandchildren, Justin (Gena) Jones, Casey (Alesa) Jones, Cody (Amanda) Burrows, Shelby Wiest, Matthew Wiest, Landon and Lilli McGill and Gage, Sissy and Rylee McQuade as well as seven great-grandchildren.
Memorials are suggested to the Dwight Allbery Pheasants Forever Scholarship fund or the Great Plains chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Online condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com.
A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held on July 31st, 1:00 pm at United Methodist Church in North Platte, NE. Carpenter Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.