Barbara Kay Swanke, 76, of Rhame, ND passed away on Monday, February 27, 2023, at
the CHI St. Alexus Hospital in Bismarck, ND. Mass of Christian Burial for Barb will be held at 1 pm on
Tuesday, March 7 at the St. Charles Catholic Church in Bowman, ND. Fr. Ben Franchuk will
celebrate the Mass with burial to follow at the Tuttle Cemetery in Rhame, ND. Family and
Friends service will be on Monday, March 6, 2023, at 7:00 pm at the Krebsbach and Kulseth
Funeral Home Chapel. Public visitation will begin on Monday, March 6, 2023, at Krebsbach and
Kulseth Funeral Home Chapel from 12-7.
Barb was born on July 1, 1946, to Stella and Ervin Brown in Scranton, ND. She was the
sixth of eight children. She attended school in Scranton and graduated in 1964. After
graduation, she worked at the First National Bank in Bowman, ND. She met Willard Swanke on a
blind date that Lowell Faris had arranged. They were married at the Catholic Church in
Scranton, ND on May 29, 1965. They settled on the Cedar Ridge Ranch at Rhame, ND, and Barb
started working at the Rhame Locker Plant. They stayed on the Cedar Ridge Ranch where they
raised three children and ranched and farmed all their life. She enjoyed cooking for her family
and was always preparing way too much delicious food. Once the children were grown, Barb
started working at the Rhame Super Value.
She was very involved with a local Card Party, Hobby Club, and Thursday Bowling. She
was a caring and loving mother and grandmother, who enjoyed attending and supporting her
children and grandchildren at their sporting events and school activities. Later in life, she found
a love for fishing with her husband during the summer in Mobridge, SD, entertaining family and
friends.
Barb is preceded in death by her parents, Stella and Ervin Brown.
Barb is survived by her husband Willard; her three children: Kevin (Barbara) Swanke of
Marmarth, Chris (Raymond) Lee, and Tara (Kelly) Turbiville both of Rhame; seven siblings: Bob
(Jeanie) Brown, Ron (Kay) Brown, Jack Brown, Joanne (Quentin) Benson, Ginger Stafford, Frank
(Lavonne) Brown, and Dick (Mary Jane) Brown; five grandchildren: Tyler Swanke, Sterling Lee,
Sierra Lee, Colton Turbiville, and Tucker Turbiville: two step-grandchildren: TJ Sims and Jessica
Sims; and eight step-great-grandchildren, sister-in-law, Roberta Swanke, nephew, Shad (Melissa) Swanke and niece, Lisa (Richard) Nunez.