Barbara Joan Taschner

Barbara Joan Taschner, 86, passed away on June 25, 2023 at Saint Therese at Oxbow Lake, Brooklyn Park, MN. Barbara Joan (Brooks) Taschner was born October 1, 1936 in Sioux Falls, SD to David and Mary (Goebel) Brooks. She was raised in Sioux Falls and on June 4, 1954, graduated in the upper tenth of her Washington High School class. Following high school, Barb enrolled as an undergraduate student at SD State College in Brookings and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics. While there, she met her future husband of 58 years, Donald Walden Taschner of Howard, SD. The two were united in marriage on August 24, 1958 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Howard, SD. While Don finished his senior year of college, Barb taught Home Economics and was a Future Homemakers of America Club advisor at Colman High School. The newlyweds moved to the Twin Cities and began raising a family. They first rented a duplex in St. Paul, then a house in Minneapolis near the MSP airport, followed by a house in Roseville. In 1965, they bought their first home in a relatively new development of Columbia Heights where there were three new public schools within walking distance and plenty of nearby parks for their three sons. Barb made long-time friends with many of the neighbors during their 42 years at 1430 Lincoln Terrace. The family became active members of a growing St Matthew Lutheran Church. On inclement weather days, Barb helped her sons pick up and deliver the Star Tribune newspaper. She was a baseball, football, and hockey mom, Cub Scout den mother, and chauffeur to Scout meetings, activities and outings. Barb was an outstanding cook and a talented seamstress. The family always enjoyed a nice sit-down home cooked dinner. She crafted many Halloween costumes and dress clothes with her Singer sewing machine, along with the occasional newspaper delivery bag dog bite repair courtesy of Spice Edlund. She always kept up with the latest crafts creating personalized items for her children and later for her seven grandchildren. Barb was also Don's copilot on family excursions to the North woods, lakes and local rivers-riding shotgun in the International Harvester/Winnebago pickup camper, in one of their boats, or on snowmobiles. There were so many memorable outings. Standouts include exploring the Temperance River Gorge along the Voyageur Hwy, canoeing the Boundary Waters at the Gunflint Trail's end, and surviving treacherous Lake Superior waves after circumnavigating Isle Royale National Park in a small Lone Star ski boat! When the nest was empty, Don and Barb vacationed on each of the Hawaiian Islands, French Polynesia, Mexico, Western Europe, and on a Caribbean cruise, they renewed their wedding vows in front of Gavin MacLeod-the real Love Boat Captain Merrill Stubing. Following Don's retirement, they moved full-time to their "more than a cabin" the Tasch Mahal on Stony Lake near Hackensack, MN where they enjoyed the company and humor of lifelong college friends. They enjoyed being active and dedicated grandparents to their seven grandchildren, encouraging visits to their beautiful lake home for relaxation, boating and tubing, fishing and hunting. Barb and Don continued to travel and began spending winter months in Arizona near Barb's brothers John and Frank Brooks. After Donald's passing in September of 2016, Barbara became a resident of Saint Therese at Oxbow Lake close to her youngest son and his family's home where she would continue her culinary skills in their kitchen. She enjoyed running errands, ice cream socials, senior happy hour or sipping a margarita at El Toro, picking apples in orchards, pontooning on White Bear Lake, singing along at local concerts, doing puzzles, playing Bingo, Crazy Eights and Hearts games, painting and crafts, or just lounging in the sunroom with fellow resident Carol who she had quickly became friends with and was an inseparable companion to. The family is grateful to the Saint Therese at Oxbow Lake caregivers who provided Barb 7 years of loving care. Her MC123 apartment was home sweet home. Barb was preceded in death by her parents, sister Beverly (Carl) Ray, brother John (Elizabeth) Brooks and husband Donald. She is survived by her brother Frank (Gilma) Brooks, sons Michael (Deborah), Murray (Cathy), Matthew (Lisa), grandsons Nicholas (Kirsty), Alexander, Grant, Devin and granddaughters Carly, Anna, and Victoria. Barb's memory began failing her during the last years of her life but the memories she provided during her lifetime will last forever.

Tributes

Barbara Joan Taschner

October 1, 1936 - June 25, 2023

Tributes

Barbara Joan Taschner

October 1, 1936 - June 25, 2023

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