Ken and Barbara "The original "Ken and Barbie"" Olive

Heaven got a bit brighter when Barbara Fay Goodwin Olive progressed to the other side on May 31, 2022, in Reno, Nevada. We are grateful to know that the “Original Ken and Barbie” are reunited, and hope that heaven is prepared for her spunk and the pranks she loved to play.

Barb was born August 3, 1938, in Beaver, Utah, the second child of Martin Cook Goodwin and Juliette Lister. Her family included her older brother, Martin “Rex” Goodwin, and younger sister, Marjorie “Margie” Goodwin. Barb and her family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada during World War II, where her father found work as a milkman for Anderson Dairy.

While in Las Vegas, she met Kenneth Reynolds Olive, whom she married on June 7, 1957. They moved to Reno shortly afterwards, and remained there, other than the two years they lived in Okinawa while Ken served in the Army. Their marriage produced six children and lasted more than 63 years on earth, plus all eternity in heaven. Barb and Ken shared many adventures together, supporting one another through years of Little League and other sports, Scouting, home and car repairs (who can forget the Volkswagen graveyard?) and outdoor explorations. Their cooking was unforgettable, including such delicacies as Ken’s Chicken Diane, Upstate Minestrone Soup, Barbie’s Best Jerky and Barb’s homemade bread. They welcomed many people into their home and family, and once you played “This is a Dog and This is a Cat” with them, you were an honorary Olive forever.

Barb had a deep love of family history and cherished her pioneer heritage in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She spent more than 60 years volunteering at the Family History Center in Reno, helping countless people discover and strengthen their families. Believing that families can be together forever, she submitted more than 70,000 names to the temple so that others could share the joy that she found in uniting loved ones.

We thank Barb and Ken for their lives of service and faith, for their unwavering patriotism, and for the wonderful legacy they left with their testimonies of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and of God’s eternal Plan of Happiness.

Barb was preceded in death by her sweetheart Ken, who passed away on April 6, 2021, and by her son, David Lynn Olive (Cindy), who passed away on June 18, 2012. She is survived by her children Ron (Daniela), Alan (VaLynn), Juli, Eric, Sarah (Jamie), 18 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren.

Her funeral will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located at 1095 Golconda Drive in Reno on Saturday, June 11th, at 10:00 a.m. Her burial will be in the Mountain View Cemetery in Beaver, Utah, on Monday, June 13th, at 10:00 a.m.