Kathleen Joanne Cook Payne Barker

She Bridged the Gap for So Many of Us

Kathleen Joanne Cook Payne Barker (“Kathy”) was born in West Virginia on December 28, 1954 and passed away on Thursday, May 26, 2022. Funeral services will be held Monday, June 6th, 2022 (address below).

Kathy is survived by her husband, Gregory Ted Barker, and her children Vida Sami (Karl) Cannon, Sheila Sami (Troy) Andreasen, Malynda Thorsted (Rob) Winfield, Tyson Payne (Guardian, Ed Chassey), Eric Oliver Payne (Elizabeth), Jamie Lynn Barker (Reverend Curtis) Reed, Chandra Diane (Jared) Leaman, Nicholas Chase Payne, and Beth/Sebastian Payne. Kathy “Grammie” is also survived by 25 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren (and counting) and loved by many others. She said she lived her life in fast forward, began having teenagers when she was only 25, and was a great grandmother before her death at the age of 67. She is preceded in death by Mary Lou McClure Cook (Mother), and Diane Winterrose Cook (Mother). 

Kathy grew up in Mattoon, Illinois with her gentlemanly dad, Jack Martin Cook (still blessing his posterity of both “love-lines and bloodlines” at the age of 91) and her organized, faithful mother, Diane Winterrose, who preceded her in death not long ago. Kathy was the oldest of four children, followed by Karen (Patrick) Simmons, Tim (Debbie) Cook and Lori (Steve) Brooks.

She married, and raised her children in Utah.

Told in-person 10 hours before her death that she looks “peaceful and perfect,” Kathy, like the rest of us, was a flawed, imperfect person who, unlike most of us, could nonetheless sometimes transform difficult experiences into something more peaceful and palatable. She did this frequently for any recipient of her love who could find a way to join her point of view with an open heart. Some of these transformations were magical and momentary, while others took years, each one sharing the common denominator of being treated with the gift of Kathy’s love. In her eyes, no human being was “the least of these.”  Each person in the world was either her child, sibling, parent, extended family member, brother or sister. Many good-hearted families in the world have rescued cats or dogs and added them to their family. Kathy’s immediate family is filled with rescued human souls.

Priding herself on being the grasshopper who loves to play and entertain among the beloved worker ants surrounding her who were always busy and seemed to keep the world spinning, Kathy had an open door policy and welcomed so many people into her homes which, in her adult life, were chiefly in Brigham City (Parkinson Drive), Sandy (Robins Way) and South Jordan (Country Bend Drive). Although she was a gifted teacher and counselor and worked many jobs throughout her life including being a CNA and X-ray technician, Kathy’s highest ideal and aspiration was to be a mother. She fostered or adopted more than 30 children in her lifetime. Most of these were on a short-term basis, but nine souls stuck with her, and could never think she was anything less than their mother, though “Mombly” was sometimes used for clarity.

In high school, Kathy enjoyed being one of the theatre kids and also served in Student Government. As a young mother, she wrote the script for a road show in which some of her children performed. She herself performed in a few plays when she lived in Sandy, at the Murray Park Amphitheater. In each place she lived, she found kindred spirits to connect with — demonstrating over and over that she was a true friend. Always open minded, and eager to follow directions from her Heavenly Father rather than from human beings, Kathy joked with one of her children recently, after she was bedridden, that maybe a good song for her funeral would be, “I Did it My Way,” echoing the legendary Frank Sinatra.

During her life of 67 years, Kathy experienced some of the most beautiful, bizarre, amazing, devastating, unexpected, heartbreaking, heartwarming, shocking, redeeming and miraculous experiences one could experience in life. Her own personal tragedies which she began to experience as a young child, she was able to use in her heart as special insight to help her understand and love others. She seemed to take each experience in stride, not allowing herself to be brought too high or too low, and responding with love always. Some experiences which many among us might have considered permanently destructive, Kathy tried to change through her amazing though imperfect love.

Kathy, “Grammie,” will be missed genuinely--and in some cases intensely--by all of those many people for whom she is a daughter, sister, mother, wife, aunt, cousin, grandma, mentor, family member and friend.

The family wishes to express deepest gratitude to friends, neighbors, the South Jordan 4th Ward, Huntsman Home Health, and Inspiration Hospice for their generosity, time, and support as she transitioned from this life to the next.

The family would also like to thank Kramer Family Funeral Home & Cremation Center for help preparing her body for the funeral and viewing. After the cremation, some of Kathy’s remains will be interred at the South Jordan Cemetery—some ashes will be distributed in locations that have special meaning of happy memories for her.

Funeral services will be held Monday, June 6th, 2022 at 11 am in the chapel at the church on 2550 West 9800 South in South Jordan, Utah. A viewing will be held at the same location in the Relief Society room from 10 - 10:45 am immediately preceding the family prayer which will begin at 10:45 am. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a charitable account that has been set up in her name, Kathleen Payne, at America First Credit Union account number 9123977 for the purpose of covering funeral, end-of-life, and related support expenses. You may email questions to chanleaman@gmail.com.

For any of you who might wish to the watch the funeral remotely, the Zoom link will be

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84395634319?pwd=alNocnBIVDVWaTVoY3N1Vk9Wai9tZz09