Barbara Joanne "Barb" Hemann (Ballhagen)

Barbara Joanne Hemann (nee Ballhagen) Barb was born on December 11, 1931 in Bristow, Iowa. She was one of seven children to Vera S. (nee Randall) and Emmett G. Ballhagen. In her early 20’s, she moved to Minnesota where she met the love of her life, Ralph John Hemann. The two were married on May 25, 1950 and made their home in Little Canada. Barb worked for the Lake Owasso Children’s Residence Home as a cook and retired from there. She and Ralph had five children together, Patricia, Dennis, Darlene, Cheri, and Joanne. During the middle of her life, Barb went back to school at 916 College (now Century College). Outside of work, Barb loved to cook and bake. She was always known for having a roast in the oven on Sundays and making the best comfort food. She made bread and pie from scratch, and then she would fry fritters (with cinnamon and sugar) with the leftover dough. She was a great gardener and enjoyed planting vegetables. She had one rose bush that did not thrive very well until one year when it blossomed beautifully. She had very friendly squirrels that she would feed and one got through the window screen once and ate her donuts. Barb was a very musical person and played piano. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her. Barb is preceded in death by her parents, Vera and Emmett Ballhagen; her husband, Ralph Hemann; and her siblings, Ron, Maynard, Shirley, and Cora. She is survived by her children, Patricia Hemann, Dennis (MaryAnn) Hemann, Darlene (Alan) Walker, Cheri (Brian) Crawley, and Joanne (Daniel) Mundt; her grandchildren, Pam (Jason) Larson, Lodune Sincaid, Tony (Joyce) Hemann, Amy (Mike) Lucas, Iroquois Ledbeter, Tanya (Dan Guiterrez) Kemp, Heather (Ryan) Valley, Alysia (Rob) Britton, Jay Milligan, Christina (David) Jawarski, Alan Crawley, Nicole Hemann, Paul Hemann, Becky Hemann, Samantha Carmichael, Christine Fountaine, Aaron Mundt, Chad Mundt, and Nici Dorner; great-grandchildren, Owen, Caroline, Brooke, Noelle, Kayla, Gage, Tyler, Autumn, Gabe, Adrienne, Sky, Lexus, Anthony Jr. “AJ”, Alexander, Wyatt, Jenna, Bobby, Kevin, Kevon, Melissa, Brett, Lucas, Simon, Nakia, and Desirae; siblings, Carole and Norma; and many other family and friends. Visitation from 4-8PM on Wednesday, May 10, 2017 at Mueller Memorial, 4738 Bald Eagle Avenue, White Bear Lake. Mass of Christian Burial 11AM on Thursday, May 11, 2017 at St. John’s Catholic Church of Little Canada, 380 Little Canada Road E, with visitation from 10-11AM at church. Interment at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis.