Barbara L. Tangedahl

Barbara L. Tangedahl (Parr), 66, passed away Friday, May 24 surrounded by family. She was born in Madison, Wisconsin on May 23, 1958 to Maria "Mitzi" L. Parr (Schachinger) and Thomas E. Parr and eventually moved with her mother and siblings to La Crosse, Wisconsin where she would spend the rest of her childhood years.

After graduating from Aquinas High School in 1976, Barb spent more than two decades in La Crosse touching countless lives through her work as an Optician with ShopKo optical, building several lifelong friendships with her fellow members of Bar City Van Club and raising her two children, Angie and Tony.

In 2001, tragedy struck Barb’s life when her son, Tony, was killed in a car accident on February 10. Through her unwavering faith and strong bonds formed with Tony’s closest friends, she persevered in spite of this heart break and vowed to always live her life to the fullest. After a couple years, Barb left La Crosse for St. Cloud, Minnesota and later settled in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota where she continued her career as an Optician at ShopKo and, later, Allina Clinic. She found her true love and soulmate, Terry Tangedahl, and the two were married on July 5, 2008. Barb’s genuinely kind personality and inner light naturally drew people to her and she continued to build strong, lasting friendships with so many around her.

In late 2015, Barb and Terry decided to make the most of their remaining years together and retire to Port Charlotte, Florida while continuing to venture north for the summers to their camper near Osseo, Wisconsin. Wherever the road took them, their days were filled with family, friends, stories, laughter, numerous adventures and hours of relaxation in each other’s company. In September 2018, their time together was cut short when Terry was taken far too early by cancer.

Despite the tragic losses she experienced, Barb’s inner light never faded and she continued to live her life to the fullest. Family was always first for Barb. As the oldest child, she often helped out at home by cooking for and looking after her younger brothers, Bruce and Brian, and sister, Sue. As they grew up together, the four siblings remained very close spending weekends in the summertime camping, Sundays in the fall cheering on the Packers and celebrating holidays with their growing families. Nothing made Barb happier than watching her grandsons, “her boys”, Eli, Amos and Ian, grow up while spending summers together at the camper in Wisconsin.

While unexpected to her, but to no one else, Barb was again blessed with the love of a man with a kind soul and caring heart, Jeff Buchanan. Barb and Jeff were a perfect pair, both sweet and loving, Barb with her outgoing personality and Jeff more quiet and reserved. Together they made the most of life in Florida while also adventuring on road trips to Texas, Wisconsin and out west for some sightseeing with the grandsons. Jeff and Barb loved each other deeply and they became engaged on Valentine’s Day 2024. While they never got a chance to marry, they were truly partners in life and love until the end.

Barb was truly loved and adored by everyone around her as she loved and adored so many. Everyone she touched in her life called her Sweetheart, with a heart of gold and a smile as genuine as the goodness within her soul. While she may be gone from this earth, her light will forever live on inside the friends and family that love her so dearly.

Barb was preceded in death by her husband, Terry Tangedahl, mother, Mitzi Parr, father, Thomas (Laura) Parr, sister, Beth Parr and son, Tony Koenig.

She is survived by her fiancé, Jeff Buchanan, stepmother, Laura Parr, daughter, Angie Wright (Koenig), grandsons, Eli (13), Amos (10) and Ian (7), stepson, Blake Tangedahl, brothers, Bruce (Kim) Parr and Brian (Becky) Parr, sisters, Sue (Jon) Moseley and Pam (Kris) Gooding, nieces Alyssa (Matt), Dayna (Travis), Bethaney, Madisyn, Kammie, Maisie and Victoria, nephews, Gavin and Kameron and the countless friends that Barb called family.

In Barb’s memory and honor, live each day to the fullest, celebrate every sunrise, cherish every sunset and remember that the gift of the present is yours, so please make the most of it and always surround yourself with love.