Barbara Marie Brudvik

Barbara Marie (Tyler) Brudvik December 29, 1948 - April 11, 2022


Barbara had an adventurous spirit and lived in many places on the west coast - Longview and Kelso, WA, Anchorage, AK, Lake Tahoe, CA, Port Townsend, WA and Castle Rock, WA. In 1985 she packed up her house and daughter Megan and moved to Desert Hot Springs, California. A year later the family became complete when Gary Brudvik joined us. Married in 1991, their love affair continued for nearly 37 years. Barbara loved the outdoors and was the best camper and a lucky fisherwoman and clam digger. She had a wicked sense of humor and loved to laugh. She was a lover of music and enjoyed going to concerts with friends and family. While living in the desert, she also developed skill as a golfer; she and Gary loved golfing together with friends. She was an avid reader, preferring biographies and true crime, and was a loyal subscriber to People magazine. She loved her pets, and we hope she is playing with Tailie, Emily and Mollie again.


Barbara was always a hard worker, sometimes holding as many as three jobs during her time raising Megan as a single mother. She was a career bartender, and ended that career as bar manager of the clubhouse at Mission Lakes Country Club in Desert Hot Springs, CA. She was a favorite of her coworkers and regulars, alike. After Gary and Barbara returned to Washington, she worked in a family business, Printing Arts Center, owned by her sister and brother-in-law, Jackie and Allan Erickson, until she retired.


Barbara was a longtime member of the congregation at Longview’s Valley Christian Fellowship. She made many good friends and found much comfort there. In 2005, she had an idea for a new outreach mission for the church. She remembered being a single mother who struggled from time to time to provide the little extras to her young daughter, and was inspired to create Angel Closet - a nonprofit that outfitted high school girls for their formal school dances. It began in the closet of the church’s community center, and through her stewardship - soliciting donated dresses and discounted dry cleaning, organizing volunteers and advertising giveaway days - it grew to a donated storefront where no girl was turned away. At its height, Angel Closet had an inventory of over 400 gowns and shoes in all sizes, purses, and jewelry. She helped literally thousands of local Cowlitz County girls enjoy their big night at no cost to their families. Nothing made her happier than helping her girls find the perfect dress. After several years of running and growing her mission, her health began to fail and she handed her leadership over, but her legacy stands. She had a kind and giving heart.


Barbara fought a long and brave battle with COPD. She showed strength and optimism until the end. She was lovingly cared for by her husband and in her final days was surrounded with the love of her family, friends and the prayers of her pastor. She is already missed by all who knew her. May her memory make us all smile.

Barbara is survived by her husband, Gary Brudvik of Kelso, WA, daughter, Megan Waddle of Portland, OR, sisters Sharon Dietrich and Jackie Erickson, both of Longview, WA, stepsister Sandra Masney of Desert Hot Springs, CA, brothers-in-law, several nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends who all loved her very much. She was preceded in death by her father, Jack Tyler, mother Geneva Ellis, stepfather Dee Ellis, stepmother Virginia Tyler, her in-laws Arnold and Betty Brudvik, and sister Norma Phenix.

A celebration of life will be held on Friday, April 29, 2022 at 2:00pm at Dahl McVicker Funeral Homes 301 Cowlitz Way, Kelso, WA