Barbara Calleen Lake was born Oct. 21, 1938 to William and Edna Houston in rural Le Roy, Kan.
She was the third of five girls. She graduated from Le Roy High School in 1956 and earned an Associate of Arts degree in elementary education in 1958.
She taught 5th through 8th grades at Strawn school and married Arthur Lake on June 1,1959 beginning 65 years of love.
Barbara took a break from teaching to raise their four children.
In 1982, she began substituting in area schools. In 1988 she worked as a teacher’s aide at Westphalia Elementary. She then worked for 11 years as a paraprofessional in the Early Childhood Handicapped Preschool program and then as a Special Education Para Educator at Southern Coffey County Middle School, retiring in 2004.
Barbara passed away Friday, Jan. 9, 2026 at Select Specialty Hospital in Kansas City, Kan., with her family at her side.
Visitation is Monday, Jan. 19 from 6 to 7 p.m. at VanArsdale Funeral home in Le Roy. Funeral services are at 12:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 20 at Flint Hills Community Church, Cottonwood Falls, Kan.
A full obituary can be viewed at www.vanarsdalefs.com.
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