Barbara Ann Liotard was born on March 14” 1938 to Fred and Irene Lane in St. Louis Missouri. She passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on July 3rd 2026 at the age of 88. Barbara was an amazing wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother (GiGi.

When Barbara was around the age of 5 her parents decided to move their family out west to California, settling in Stockton. She attended Lottie Grunsky Elementary school as a child and in 1956 graduated high school from Stockton College High School. After graduating she took a job at a finance company where she met a young man who would turn out to be her future husband. Before marrying in the Catholic Church, she would convert to the Catholic Faith and continued practicing this Faith for the rest of her life. After dating for 4 years, on September 17th 1960 she married the love of her life Leo Gerald Liotard. They would continue to share their love and lives together for the next 56 years until his passing in 2016. They started their life together living in Stockton until 1977 when they moved their family to Ripon where she would reside for almost 50 years. After starting a family, they decided it was important for her to be at home raising their children. She was very involved in her children’s lives, she was a room mom, PTA volunteer, Bluebird and Campfire Leader. After her children were all in school, she started working again. She worked for Simpson Paper Co, Knudsen Corp., and Macy’s. She also helped her daughter run her floral shop for 5 years. Her final job was being a full-time grandma and loving every minute of it.

She enjoyed traveling with Leo and her family. As a young family she would pack up the family station wagon and travel all around California. Disneyland was one of her favorite family destinations, loving all the rides and the joy it brought to her children. Later in life she would enjoy cruises, traveling to Europe, and all over the United States. In 2016 on a road trip to Indianapolis to watch her grandsons bowl they made a side trip to her birthplace St. Louis Missouri; she was so happy to see the place one more time where her life began. She enjoyed going to Reno and Tahoe with her family. Participating in slot machine tournaments and Bingo were among her favorite, even winning a few.

Barbara was so full of happiness and joy when she became a grandma, she had a special bond with each grandchild. She couldn’t believe she could have more joy than grandchildren until the birth of her great grandchildren, she was so excited to be part of the next generation and to be called GiGi. She looked forward to attending everything for her grandchildren, from sporting events, school plays, graduations, weddings, she was always ready to go. Except for Fridays, it was her day and everyone knew it. She enjoyed her beauty parlor day then shop till she dropped every Friday!!!

Barbara loved any holiday, decorating her house for each one. Her favorite was Christmas. Her house would be filled with Christmas trees, Department 56 Christmas in the City, Annalee dolls and never forgetting the real reason she had 3 different Nativity sets to celebrate the Birth of Jesus. She loved watching Hallmark movies, especially the Christmas movies.

Barbara is survived by her daughter’s and son in laws, Michelle and Lance loppini and Renee and Percy Maragos. Her beloved grandchildren Meghan (Colton), Chelsea (Aaron), Johnathan, Patrick, Nicholas, Matthew and Olivia. Her extra bonus for being such a wonderful grandmother was her 2 great grandchildren Georgia and Carter. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Leo, her parents and her sister Elaine Stearns.

A private service was held on July 16th 2026

Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin

Saturday, July 18, 2026