Barbara Jean West Eggli

Barbara Jean West Eggli, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and professor, passed away on July 3, 2026, at the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Barbara was born December 13, 1939, in Salt Lake City, Utah to Charles William West and Maxine Jensen. As a young adult, she lived her dream of being an airline hostess and flew with Trans World Airlines. Barbara received a PhD with all but the dissertation in Comparative Literature from the University of Utah. She taught English and Women's Literature at the University of Utah and Weber State University for over twenty years. On September 1, 1961, she married Darwin Carl Eggli in Salt Lake City.

She is survived by their three children: Lynn, Darla (Chris) Swain, and Brent (Erin); her brother, Robert (Nancy) West; her sister-in-law, Vickie West; her ten grandchildren; her five great-grand-children; and her husband. She is preceded in death by her parents and her younger brother, Kenneth West.

Barbara loved to travel; she travelled extensively throughout Europe in England, Ireland, France, Scotland, and Greece, as well as in Mexico, the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, Tahiti, and Canada. She also visited all but six states in the United States. Her favorite place of all was Cannon Beach in Oregon. Barbara also loved current events, orchids, nature, and books-especially mysteries. Barbara was a staunch feminist and champion of women's rights.

A memorial will be held for Barbara on Saturday, July 18th at Memorial Millcreek Mortuary (formerly Holbrook Mortuary). Visitation with the family will take place at 10:30am with a service at 12:30pm. She will be interred at Wasatch Lawn at 1:30pm.

In lieu of flowers, Barbara requested that donations be made to the Nature Conservancy, the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, the Huntsman Cancer Institute, or other charities.