Barbara “Binky” Wallace Thares died on July 27, 2022, in Great Falls, Montana after a hard fought battle with cancer. She wants everyone to know that “She did the best she could.”
A celebration of life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 6, 2022, at O’Connor Memorial Chapel.
Barbara was born April 2, 1942, in Townsend, Montana to Cliff and June (Sawyer) Wallace. Mom attended several elementary schools from Montana to Maine, and even Florida before graduating from Broadwater County High School in Townsend, Montana in 1960. She then went on to attend the University of Montana (Go Griz), and majored in Elementary Education. She went on to teach fourth grade at Sunnyside Elementary and later on, third grade at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School in Great Falls, Montana. In February 1970, she married Bill Thares. They went on to have four girls. Mom quit teaching to stay at home with us. She went back to teaching after Niki was old enough to go to school.
Growing up in Townsend, mom spent as much time as she could on her horses. She loved horses to the day she died. Mom maintained her amazing sense of humor through her long fought battle with cancer. Besides chasing after her girls and grandchildren, mom was active in Sweet Adelines, Top of the Falls, Renew Group, Extension Homemakers, Flower Growers, and a Quilting Group, to name a few.
Barbara is survived by her husband of 52 years, Bill Thares; four daughters, Jane (Perry) Kolstad, Jill (Jim) Thares-Koetje, Nancy (Craig) Nichols, and Niki (Eric) Wells; grandchildren, Kyler Koetje, Sawyer, Colton, and Kendal Wells, Lauren, Kalynn and Dylan Kolstad, and Riley Robinson; siblings, John Wallace, Susan (John) Lyons, and Diana (Kenny) Roberts; brothers-in-law, John Thares and Nick (Helen Buell) Thares; several nieces and nephews; and great-nieces and nephews. Mom was preceded in death by her parents; in-laws, Nick and Pat Thares; sister-in-law, Pat Wallace; and nephew, David Roberts.
