Barbara Hennessey

Barbara Jean Hennessey, 83, passed away peacefully at her home on March 19, 2025.

Barb was born August 24, 1941, to Lawrence and Deloris (Davis) Dickens in Sioux City, IA. She grew up in the Morningside area and graduated from East High School in 1960. Barb went on to attend beauty school and worked as a beautician for several years. While in beauty school, she met her future husband, James Edward Hennessey, and on November 25, 1961, they were united in marriage. They would have three children; Dan, Terry, and Kelly. In 1965, the family moved north to Sioux Falls due to Jim’s job on the railroad.

Barb continued her salon work in the basement of their home while raising the children, until shestarted employment at Cliff Avenue Greenhouse. There, she met and worked alongside many life-long friends, including Jane and Colleen Bills and her future in-law, Grace Saunders. Barb worked there for over 20 years until she retired in 1999, at which time she relocated to Vermillion to be near her family.

While in Vermillion, Barb enjoyed working with her daughter at Taco John’s, but mostly she just loved staying busy and being involved. Her hobbies always included decorating anything and making floral arrangements. When her grandkids started getting active in sports and school, she always made the time to be there. Barb’s greatest pleasure in life was spending time with her family and enjoying all the time she could with her grandkids—attending their activities and just being involved. Her involvement included spending quality time with the friends who were dearest to her heart through lunches or ringing in 2025 together. Barb also volunteered for several years at St. Agnes School, giving her time to teach the kindergarteners.

In 2017-2018, she was a deserving recipient of the Friends of St. Agnes award. Barb was beautiful, energetic, creative, and unfailingly saw the good side of life, never uttering a complaint or passing judgement. Her smiling, outgoing, and cheerful demeanor made her loved by allthose who were privileged to know her. Without fail, she was always concerned about the well-being of others rather than herself. Barb’s love of people was only exceeded by her love of pets, usually the ones no one else would take, such as older, antisocial dogs, and a stray cat or two.

Barb was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Jim; son, Terry; and sister, Doreen. She leaves behind a family who will miss her dearly including her son, Dan (Yulieth) Hennessey; daughter, Kelly (Bill) Saunders; grandchildren Bailey (Lanning) Norberg, Paige, Lexi, Connor, Brooke, Jae, Kevin, and Ryan; two great-grandchildren, Jordy and Lyric, and two brothers, Chuck and Larry.

A mass will be held in her honor at 2:00 pm on Thursday, March 27, at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Vermillion, SD. A celebration of Barb’s life will be held immediately following the mass at her home at 2019 Augusta Drive in Vermillion. A private family burial will be held prior to the mass.