Barbara Ann Ludwig, née Lewton, aged 83, passed away peacefully on March 7, 2026, in Gilbert, Arizona. Born on January 12, 1943, in Sioux City, Iowa, Barbara lived a life defined by deep faith, love, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to the well-being of others.
Her academic path reflected a lifelong dedication to learning and service. She earned her Nursing Diploma from the Methodist School for Nurses in Sioux City, Iowa, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Briar Cliff College, a Master’s degree in Special Education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and completed Clinical Pastoral Education at Loma Linda University Medical Center in California. Professionally, she created Nevada’s first school-based health center, which grew into four centers serving more than 150,000 students in the Clark County School District. She also founded the first Clark County Safe Kids Coalition, which received two national awards and reached over 35,000 children and parents each year, and played a key role in implementing the Columbia Teen Screen Depression Screening program while helping establish national quality standards for the initiative.
Barbara’s faith remained the steady center of her life. She held leadership positions in every church she attended, including Morningside Presbyterian Church in Sioux City, Iowa; First Presbyterian Church in Las Vegas, Nevada; Conifer Community Church in Conifer, Colorado; and most recently The Grove in Chandler, Arizona. As a chaplain, she offered spiritual guidance with grace and empathy to all who sought her counsel.
She is survived by her devoted husband Ron, her three sons Chris and his wife Marcie, Heath and his wife Katie, and Ryan and his wife Kathy, and her nine cherished grandchildren: Eli, Ethan, Willow, Isaac, Tanner, Olivia, Ryan, Riley, and Maverick. For more than four decades, Barbara faced cancer with remarkable courage and steadfast faith, inspiring everyone around her. A lifelong learner, she found joy in both the pages of novels and the study of Scripture, continually seeking to understand and live out her beliefs with intention and love.
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