Barbara Jeanette Ambuehl

Barbara Jeanette Ambuehl, age 94, of Farina, Illinois, passed away peacefully October 11, 2026, at 11:20 AM at home surrounded by her loving family.

Funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday October 15, 2026, at the Farina United Methodist Church, Farina, Illinois. Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to the start of the funeral service. Interment will take place in the Farina Cemetery. Ed Blomberg will be officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Farina United Methodist Church. Online condolences may be left at www.pagelfuneralhome.com

Barbara Jeanette Smith was born June 12, 1932, in Fayette County, the daughter of Herman and Eliza Barbara (Dippold) Smith. She was baptized and later confirmed at the Farina United Methodist Church. Her Grade School years at the rural one-room Wolf School House followed with High School at the Farina La Grove High School graduating in 1950. She married Herschel Ambuehl April 22, 1951. They celebrated their 75th Wedding Anniversary in April of this year.

She worked various jobs during and after High School, mostly doing waitress work in restaurants and was a homemaker raising four children. During their children’s High School years, she worked as a Nurses Aid at Fayette County Hospital in Vandalia, IL before studying for a year at Lakeland College at Mattoon and earning her certificate as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in 1971. She continued to work at Fayette County Hospital until 1973. She then went to work at St. Anthony Memorial Hospital in Effingham, IL as an LPN in the Intensive Care Unit where she worked for over 20 years, retiring in 1994, but continued to work part-time and later on call until June 2001.

 She enjoyed baking, reading, walking, knitting, and sewing clothes for her three daughters in their early years. She was active in the United Methodist Church holding several different jobs in their United Methodist Women’s group. She especially enjoyed her flowers after her eyesight kept her from her other hobbies. She loved spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She is survived by her husband, Herschel; son, Dennis (wife Jamie) of Shelbyville, IL and Fort Myers, FL; daughters, Janice (husband Dave) Hoelscher of Mason, IL, Sharon Copple (significant other, Denny Simonavice) of Estero, FL, and Patty Donaldson of Vandalia, IL; 13 grandchildren and Spouses; 28 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great-grandchild, sisters, Virginia Yund of Providence, RI and Marianna Rose of Yuba City, CA.

Barb was preceded in death by her parents, Herman and Eliza Smith; infant, Brother, Robert (Bobby) Smith; brother, Ben Smith (and wife Rose), brother-in-law’s, Richard Yund, Ted Marty, John Rose; two son-in-law’s, Clarence Copple and Dannie Donaldson, and 3 great-grandchildren.