Barbra Brasher

1934 - 2025

Barbra Jane Fordham Briggs Brasher

1934 - 2025

Cottonwood Heights, UT - Our precious wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great-great grandmother Barbra Jane Fordham Briggs Brasher, age 91, passed away peacefully at home from natural causes on September 4, 2025. Barbra was born in Greenville, Beaver County, Utah on February 28, 1934, to George Albert Fordham and Jeanette Caroline Calvert Fordham. She was the seventh of nine children. Her siblings were: Howard, Ralph, Bessie, Dean, LaMar, Wallace, Allen, and Glenna Rae; all of whom preceded her in death.

Barbra attended school in Beaver. She loved learning and was at the top of her class. In high school she was a cheerleader and Junior Prom Queen. In her senior year she was the student body vice-president and Barbra was queen of the ""Sweetheart Ball"" at Beaver High School. The Korean War broke out during her junior year and her older brother Wally, went with the National Guard to fight in the war. At the farewell to send off the soldiers, she met Douglas Briggs, who was also from Beaver and leaving to fight in the Korean War. Doug was handsome and charming. They wrote letters to each other.
Barbra later married Doug Briggs in the St. George Utah Temple on February 28, 1952 (on her 18th birthday). They moved to Salt Lake City, Utah so Doug could finish his education and find employment. In 1954 they were able to purchase a family home in Cottonwood Heights. Together they were the parents of four children: Patti, Chad, Kari and Dyke.

The family was raised in the subdivision known as Steffenson Heights or the old ""Butler 3rd Ward"". At that time, it was a new neighborhood with mostly young families and lots of kids. It was a magical place to grow up with wonderful neighbors and leaders. It has been described as ""Andy Griffiths' Maybury"" or ""Camelot"" by others who grew up there. Meaningful relationships were developed, which blossomed into lifelong friendships with service, compassion, and love and support for each other.

During the 71 years Barbra lived in Steffenson Heights she greeted new neighbors. They have been an important part of her life, and she always hoped to make everyone feel like family. Barbra is the last of the original homeowners in Steffenson Heights. For those of you who were her friends and neighbors, please know she treasured your friendship and appreciated the kindness and love you shared in return.
Barbra and Doug divorced in 1975. Barbra described this period of her life in her personal history ""as a most difficult time in our lives and of course in the lives of our children. My heart aches when I think of all the trauma that proceeded the divorce, I regret beyond words those terrible times in all our lives.""

After being single for six years, Barbra met Chester Lynn Brasher at a singles church dance. Lynn was originally from Huntington, Utah and had been teaching in North Carolina. Lynn had returned home for the Christmas holiday when they first met. The following summer Lynn returned to Salt Lake City to work on his PhD. After a two-and-a-half-year relationship they decided to get married on August 15, 1980. They were later sealed in the Salt Lake temple on November 1, 1986.

Lynn had never been married and had no children. Lynn has accepted being a grandfather and great-grandfather with love and affection for each member of the family. Lynn has been a wonderful, devoted, patient, loving and caring companion to Barbra throughout the 45 years of their marriage.

Professionally, Barbra attended Henegar's Business College and later earned a degree in social work from the University of Utah, while balancing employment and family responsibilities. Barbra worked as a counselor in the girl's section at the Salt Lake County Detention Center. She was later hired as the Assistant Director of Shelter Care and served in that capacity for eight years. She then worked at Juvenile Court in the Mental Health Unit as well as Youth Services. Subsequently, she was hired by Valley Mental Health as a psychotherapist. She worked at Valley Mental Health while also maintaining a private practice for 10 years. From 1994 to 1997, Barbra directed the legislative program F.A.C.T. (Families, Agencies, Communities coming Together) to help families. Barbra retired in March 1997.

Barbra's experiences in life taught her much about challenges faced by individuals and families. Positive relationships are necessary to bring fulfilment and joy to the human soul. Barbra devoted most of her life to building, stabilizing and strengthening individuals and families. Relationships are not perfect, even in our family. Barbra's influence on our lives, for good or bad, will hopefully inspire us to build, cultivate and maintain strong healthy relationships.

As a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Barbra had a special relationship with her Savior, Jesus Christ. She had faith in and a testimony of His atonement and resurrection. She served Him tirelessly her entire life. She had a special love for teaching the youth and her Relief Society sisters. Among her many callings, Barbra served three years as president of the Special Needs Mutual and loved those kids and the people she served with. Barbra and Lynn served a full-time mission as Mental Health Directors in the South America, Northwest Area Mission headquartered in Lima, Peru. Barbra and Lynn loved the missionaries, the mission leaders, and the Area mission staff they served with. Her positive attitude, faith and love influenced the lives of many; and they had a profound influence on Barbra and Lynn. Barbra also served in the Jordan River and Salt Lake Temples for 10 years, on two shifts a week.

Barbra is survived by her husband, Lynn Brasher and her four children Patti (Bart) Daniels, Chad (Jeannine) Briggs, Kari (Clark) Cannon, Dyke (Monique) Briggs and Carrie Briggs (daughter in law), along with their posterity currently totaling 109 members.

Barb maintained lifelong friendships with her dear cousin, David Calvert along with her great friends Ruth Hoggan and Jan Colby each whom she met in the first grade.

We would like to express our appreciation to Home Instead and to Inspiration Home Health and Hospice for the love and compassionate care they provided to Barbra during the last weeks of her life.

We would also like to thank Miller Paving for all of their help with Barb this summer along with endless hours of entertainment. She loved sitting on the fron porch watching them.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, September 13, 2025, at 11:00am at the church building located at 2920 East Bengal Blvd (7800 South), Cottonwood Heights, Utah 84121. Viewings will be held at the same church building on Friday, September 12th from 6:00 to 8:00pm, and from 9:30 to 10:30am before the funeral services. Interment will be at Memorial Mountain View Mortuary and Cemetery located at 3115 Bengal Blvd, Cottonwood Heights, Utah 84121. Floral arrangements at the funeral service will be provided by Kari Cannon.

The best way to honor and remember Barbra is to hug a struggling child and reach out to your family and neighbors with love. In leu of flowers, please donate to the Primary Children's Hospital.

Services will be streamed and can be accessed by clicking on the following link the day of the service at 10:45 a.m. https://www.youtube.com/live/BCSwccnR51M?si=gV1HiFf4CjT65B0Y