Barbara Link

Barbara Link, 91, of Wolf Point died Sept. 21, 2023. She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth Link, who died three years ago.

She and Ken met in their senior year at Alleman High School in Rock Island, Ill., in chemistry class. He loved chemistry, Barb not so much. Their first date included her painting a number on his motorcycle for an upcoming race. This courtship was full of dates bowling, ice skating on frozen creeks and movies. While courting, he attended Saint Ambrose University while she attended Marycrest College, both in Davenport, Iowa.

He often exclaimed “she’s the only woman for me” — a sentiment he continued throughout their life together. They were married Oct. 4, 1953, in Rock Island, Ill., at the family church, Sacred Heart Catholic church. October 2023 would have been their 70th wedding anniversary.

In 1952, he joined the Navy and served in Korea as a medic. She worked at John Deere until moving to Lansing, Ill., for the birth of their first child, Leah, and son, Kurt.

He worked as a railroad detective in the Quad Cities (Moline, Ill.;, Rock Island, Ill.; Davenport, Iowa; and Bettendorf, Iowa) at the time of the birth of their son, Kendall, in Rock Island, Ill. Daughter Karen was born after they moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He joined the Border Patrol and the family moved to Harlingen, Texas, where son Frank was born. The family transferred to Wolf Point where youngest daughter Diane was born.

She worked for numerous years at Citizens First National Bank and then shifted to her dream job at the Roosevelt County Library from where she eventually retired. He retired from Border Patrol and began work as a Montana brand inspector. He continued his career by joining Alaska’s Fish and Game Department, during which he participated in the Valdez Oil