Barbara Jean Parris Cooley

Barbara Jean Parris Cooley passed away on January 24, 2024 at 83 years of age in Sandy, Utah. She was born May 28, 1940 in Gaffney, South Carolina to Glen Ford Parris and Ruby Rae Hollyfield Parris. She attended and graduated from Gaffney High School, South Carolina in 1958. She also attended and completed her courses from a local business college in Gaffney South Carolina, after graduating from high school.

On December 24, 1962, she married Ralph Vernon Cooley in Gaffney, South Carolina. Later Solemnized in the Logan Utah LDS Temple on January 7, 1963.

Barbara lived in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the time of marriage and later moved to Sandy (White City), Utah in August of 1971. She and dad moved to Crescent Senior Living, on January 4, 2023, where mom would live out the rest of her mortal life.

Once mom was settled in Utah following her marriage to Ralph, Barbara embarked on lengthy career in banking, working with the following companies: Walker Bank, First Federal Savings and Loan, Williamsburg Savings Bank, and then closed out her lengthy career, and retired as the Operations Supervisor at Washington Federal Savings Bank (now WaFed Bank), in Draper, Utah.

When mom and dad moved to their home on Larkspur Dr., in White City, Utah, in 1971, their backyard neighbors and soon to be best friends, were Boyd and Joy Jensen. These two couples would develop a love and a friendship bond that was unbreakable. Dad’s best friend was Boyd, and moms’ best friend was Joy. Unfortunately, dad lost his best friend Boyd in 1999 to a sudden and serious illness, which crushed our dad, but mom and Joy would go on to flourish in their friendship for a span of 52 years. These two beautiful ladies were not only the best of friends, but people also often referred to them as sisters. On Sunday January 21, 2024, Joy peacefully passed away. Three days later, on the 24^th of January, mom passed away. My mother was bound and determined not to let Joy go to heaven without her.  

Mom was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where she held numerous callings over her lifetime. She served in the Primary, the Relief Society, but her favorite calling of all time, was being the ward organist. She played the organ and piano for many years. While serving as the ward organist, she served alongside her best friend and sister Joy Jensen, who was the ward chorister. These two ladies worked in unison for years, creating beautiful music for the Crescent Fourth Ward.  

Mom had a heart of gold, and would do anything for anyone, at any time. Even though she worked a full-time job which spanned many years before retiring, she was always working nonstop to keep our home running and in balance. Mom loved her husband, her three boys, her 9 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren. Mom loved BYU football, and always said her blood was BLUE and not Red, because she couldn’t stand the Utes. She and dad were season ticket holders to BYU football for over 30 years. She and dad would brave all the elements, take their three boys and attend every football game, until they both could no longer attend due to their individual health reasons. Mom loved to do the crossword puzzles that would come every day in the Deseret News, and she and Joy would talk on the phone for what seemed like hours, to compare answers and complete their daily puzzles. When Joy’s eyesight started to fail later in her life, mom would take the puzzles to work and blow them up for Joy so that she could see them, and then they both would continue to work with each other to solve the puzzles. This went on for years.  

Barbara is survived by: 

Sons: Brian (Kathy), Brent (Debbi), Bruce (Leigh).  

Grandchildren: Jonathan Cooley, Alix Cooley, Austin Cooley (Whitney), Heather Cooley (EJ), Brayden Cooley (Sara), Maegan Cooley (Brandon), Austin Murfitt (Dazia), Dillan Murfitt (Aerika), Bailee Murfitt (Chance). 

Great Grandchildren: Oaklynn, Kynslee, Ledger, Roman, Kaylie, Berklee, Tatum, Crew, Alia, Echo

Siblings: Janet Patterson, Alan Parris (Kim), Diane Cole (Jim)

Best Friends: Roger and Deanna Hawkins from Canada

PRECEDED IN DEATH:

Spouse: Ralph Vernon Cooley (passed away a short 6 months ago)

Parents: Glen Ford Parris, Ruby Rae Hollyfield Parris,

Siblings: Donald Glen Parris, Phillip Patterson

SERVICES:

Viewing: Friday, February 2, 2024, 7-8:30pm, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Larkspur Ward, 949 E. 10600 S., Sandy, Utah 84094

Additional Service Prior to Funeral Services: Saturday February 3, 2024, from 9:45a-10:45a

Saturday, February 3, 2024, 11:00a, LDS Chapel (Larkspur Ward), 949 E. 10600 S., Sandy, Utah 8409

Place of Interment: Memorial Mountain View Mortuary, 3115 Bengal Blvd, Cottonwood Heights, Utah 84121

 Funeral Home: Memorial Mountain View Mortuary, 3115 Bengal Blvd, Cottonwood Heights, Utah 84121

Our family would like to express our love, gratitude and thanks to the entire staff of the Crescent Senior Living Facility. A very special thanks to the following people: Carolee, Eric, Makell, Pele, Alo, Lesieli, Ioana, Jasmine, Brianne, Sophia, Francis, Lupe, Pua, Chance, Jay, Lauren, Trish, Gabriela, Grey, Diana, Suzanna, Susan, Isabelle (housekeeping) Jorge (housekeeping), Phil (The Cook). We would also like to thank Canyons Home Health and Hospice, and Mobile Medical, for their help with taking care of our mother.