Patricia Louise Barrera

1934 - 2015

Patricia Louise Barrera
In the early morning hours of April 30th, 2015, Patricia "Pat" Barrera passed away peacefully of natural causes. Pat had her husband by her side at the Sunrise Assisted Living facility in Alta Loma, CA at the time of her passing. She was 80 years old.
Pat was born in Lancaster, Wisconsin on June 28th, 1934, and was the first of 3 daughters to Alice and Norman Klindt. Pat attended elementary and high school in Lancaster. As a graduate of Lancaster High School, she was a highly regarded band member, majorette and athlete, and was noted in her senior yearbook as "An utterly indescribable girl".
She continued her education at the Wisconsin State Teacher's College in Platteville, where she met Richard Barrera, who was attending the Wisconsin Institute of Technology in the same city. Pat continued to be active in athletics, and led the marching band as Drum Major for 3 years - performing at college football games and various other events in the southern part of the state.
Upon Richard's graduation in 1956, they were married in Cassville, Wisconsin, the new home town of the Klindts. After a honeymoon at the Wisconsin Dells, they drove to California in a new 1956 Ford on Route 66 and initially found home in Fontana, California. In 1962 they bought a new home and settled in Upland, California where they would raise a family and become an integral part of the greater Upland community. Their sons Michael and James would grow up in Upland, both attending Damien High School and the University of California, Irvine.
Shortly after moving, Pat attended La Verne College to complete her teaching degree and started her distinguished 36 year career for the Ontario Montclair School District. Her dedication to the local youth went beyond teaching, as she was involved in the local AYSO programs starting in the early 1970s where she coached and also served as a Division Commissioner.
She continued to be an avid swimmer and golfer, and enjoyed auto trips across the US to visit family members and new places. She later enjoyed sea cruises, venturing up to Alaska and down to Mexico, with trips as far as French Polynesia and the Caribbean. She looked forward to visits with her son Jim and wife Tamara in Albuquerque, NM, and short drives to Mike and daughter-in-law Tiffany's house in Huntington Beach, CA to visit her grandchildren, Conrad and Catalina.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Alice and Norman, and is survived by her husband Richard, sons Michael and James, and sisters Marcia Beckman of Rice Lake, WI and Linda Cleveland of Leeds, AL.
Special thanks to the wonderful resident care provided to Patricia by the staff at Sunrise Assisted Living at Alta Loma who provided a quality of life for Pat's last 18 months.
Services will be held at Stone Funeral Home (stonefuneralhomeupland.com) on Friday, May 8th at 10:00 am, with public viewing held Thursday, May 7th at 5:00 pm followed by prayer service at 7:00 pm.