Barbara P. Tobey

Barbara P. Tobey, 94, of Arvada, Colorado, passed away peacefully on September 20, 2024. She was born in Oak Park, Illinois, to parents Lorena and James Chester Lane on October 29, 1929, Black Tuesday, the day the stock market crashed. 

Growing up during the Great Depression shaped Barbara’s resourcefulness, resilience, and determination as she became known for her thriftiness and eye for bargains. A true “tom-boy” in her youth, Barbara was both athletic, adventurous, and very competitive. Alongside her sister, the late Dorothy Usher, she taught herself to play tennis on neighborhood asphalt courts. This love for tennis would become a defining part of her life spanning 73 years. 

Barbara played at Rolling Hills Country Club, where she dominated in women’s singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, and earned consistent rankings across the state. Her passion for tennis took her to competitions across the country, where she eventually won a Gold Medal at the National Senior Olympics.

Barbara earned a BA in Business from the University of Colorado, Boulder, where she was active in business clubs, women’s leadership, horseback riding, bridge clubs, and, of course, tennis. She was a proud member of the Chi Omega sorority and was recently honored for 75 years of membership and service. It was during college that Barbara learned to play bridge which became her other passion, playing in various bridge groups for 70 years.

After college Barbara married the late Donald Parsons and they settled in the area and raised their family here in CO. She worked as a homemaker, volunteered in many women’s organizations such as Compass Club, volunteered as Bluebird and Camp Fire Girl leaders for her three daughters’ groups, did accounting work for small real estate property management, and became involved with merchandising. Later in life, she married the late Ronald Tobey on a tennis court wearing vintage tennis outfits. She then worked as an Events staffer at Coors Field, Folsum Field, and the Pepsi Center, retiring at age 89.

Barbara has always enjoyed jigsaw puzzles and there was always a puzzle on her table that she was working on. She also loved going “up to the hills” and playing the slot machines in Black Hawk and Central City. Playing bridge and gambling in BH were some of her greatest pleasures in recent years 

A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and aunt, Barbara is survived by her daughters Linda Cox (Stuart), Debra Parsons (Dave Downs), and Carol Parsons; her grandchildren Jason Cox, Brian (Andrea) Cox, and Allison Cox; her great-granddaughters Calia and Nora Cox; and many loving nieces and nephews. 

Barbara loved life and the people in it. She will be remembered for her positive attitude, friendliness, beautiful smile, and her generous spirit. Relationships were the foundation of her life, and she enjoyed taking time to talk to everyone she met. Barbara was loved and adored by all who knew her and an inspiration to many. 

A Celebration of Life was held on October 12, 2024, at the Swiss Cottage in Wheatridge, CO. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Barbara’s memory to The Action Center (formerly Jeffco Action Center), a non-profit providing food, clothing, and support services to those in need.

https://www.theactioncenter.org