Barbara Ann (Gartrell) Quickstad

Barbara Ann Quickstad our beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother passed away peacefully on Saturday February 22, 2020.

Barbara was born in Lawton, Oklahoma, on February 19, 1931. She was the first daughter of John William “Bill” Gartrell and Mozelle King Gartrell.

As a young child her family moved from Lawton to Portland, Oregon. She graduated from Franklin High School and received her Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Portland in 1952.

After graduation, she worked as a clinical supervisor and instructor at St. Vincent’s Hospital for three years. During this time she met her future husband, Dr. Quentin Quickstad. Upon Quentin’s return from military service in Korea, they were married on June 11, 1955.

In 1956, Quentin and Barbara welcomed their first child, Kent, in Portland. He was followed by a sister, Karen, in 1959. In July of that year, the family moved to Boise, Idaho. Barbara and Quentin had their third child, Kristine, in 1961 and then their fourth, Kathryn, in 1964.

In addition to being a dedicated mother and homemaker, Barbara became a professional volunteer in 1961 at St. Alphonsus Hospital. She served at the local, state and national levels for various medical auxiliaries. Specifically, she was the President of Ada County Medical Auxiliary. One of her proudest achievements was helping to move into the new St. Alphonsus Hospital in the early 1970’s. At the new hospital, she was the founder, buyer and manager of the gift shop. Her kids loved shopping there while she was working! After twenty years of membership with the Ada County Medical Auxiliary, she was conferred an Honorary Life Membership in 1981.

At the state level, she was awarded the first “Auxilian of the Year” award in 1969 from the Idaho Medical Auxiliary (IMA). After holding several senior leadership positions, she served as President for the IMA in 1975. She continued to be involved with the IMA for the next ten years and became an Honorary Member in 1984.

In addition to being a member at the state and local medical auxiliary levels, Barbara also became involved at the national level. During the eleven years she served nationally for the American Medical Association/Education Research Foundation (AMA-ERF), she held numerous executive positions and travelled extensively which included speaking engagements to raise funds for medical education.

Outside of her medical volunteer activities, Barbara was a member for almost sixty years at First Presbyterian Church where she served as an Elder for seven years, Sunday school teacher, in addition to several other committees. Barbara was also very involved in the Boise School District in numerous PTA positions as well as the Capital High Band and Drill Team Boosters. Barbara was always busy!

Barbara’s hobbies included travel, sewing and needlework, reading and listening to music, especially Broadway musicals. She was very supportive of her children’s activities, and in later years enjoyed attending her grandchildren’s school and sporting events.

Barbara and Quentin were season ticket holders for the Boise State football and basketball teams for many years, which is something that they enjoyed together. They also enjoyed extensive travel, where they made life-lasting friendships. One of their favorite trips was a Mediterranean cruise which made stops in the Holy Land.

Barbara was preceded in death by Quentin in 2016 and is survived by her sister Myrna (Bill) Durr, children Kent (Cindy) Quickstad, Karen (David) Claunch, Kristine (Richard) Erne and Kathryn (Tim) Marshall. She also leaves behind eight grandchildren, Amanda (Lucas) Kartic, Nicole (Matt) Deen, Madeline and James Marshall, Andrew and Katelyn Quickstad and Kyle and Sydney Erne. She was recently blessed by her first great granddaughter, Ricki Eva Deen, which brought her so much joy as she watched her grow since her birth in June 2019!

The family would like to thank Drs. Michael Maier and Eric Maier and the staff of Mountain View Medical Center as well as Dr. Steven Writer and Mim Randall at St. Alphonsus Heart Institute. In addition, the family appreciated St. Luke’s Hospice and Grace Assisted Living for the exceptional care that they gave to her in her final months.

A family graveside service was conducted on Tuesday, February 25. A celebration of Barbara’s life will be held on Saturday, April 18, at First Presbyterian Church at 10:00 AM.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you please consider making a donation to the Dr. Quentin L. and Barbara A. Quickstad Nursing Endowed Scholarship (HS171) at Boise State University.

We love you and you will be missed. Your family!