Barbara K. Wetzel, age 84 of Apple Valley, died Jan. 5, 2016, at Southview Acres Health Care Center in West St. Paul of natural causes.

Born July 5, 1931, in Columbus, Ohio, where she was raised and later attended Ohio State University in Columbus. She worked for the city of Columbus for several years in the late 1940’s and the early 1950’s before marrying Paul Wetzel of Newark, Ohio, on April 21, 1955. She moved with her family to Apple Valley in 1973.

Barbara worked as a real estate agent in the area south of the Minnesota River beginning in 1975. In 1980, one of her sons became ill with systemic lupus erythematosus, a disease of the immune system and she then became active in the Minnesota Chapter of the Lupus Foundation.

She eventually became vice president, then president of the chapter and later working as office manager, support group coordinator, and advising volunteers how to start support groups.

Barbara was an active member of the Church of the Risen Savior in Burnsville, where she was a Befriender and a lay Eucharist minister. Barbara was also a volunteer with DARTS and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).

Preceded in death by Paul, her husband of 40 years, who died June 17, 1995; sister, Patricia (Edward) Kramer; and two brothers, Richard (Lorna) and Michael J. (Ann) Knilans. Survived by sons, Matt, Mark (Teri), Eric (Teri), Joel (Krys); one daughter, Laurie (Jay) Preston; many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Visitation 4-6PM, Monday, January 11th at Henry W. Anderson Mortuary, 14850 Garrett Ave., Apple Valley and also 1 hour before the service, Tuesday at Church. Funeral service 11AM, Tuesday, January 12th at Church of the Risen Savior, 1501 E. County Road 42, Burnsville. Interment Ft. Snelling National Cemetery.

Memorials are preferred to the Lupus Foundation of Minnesota, 2626 E. 82nd St., Ste. 135, Bloomington, MN, 55425; the Alzheimer’s Association Minnesota-North Dakota Chapter, 7900 W. 78th St., Ste. 100, Minneapolis, MN 55439; and Compassus Hospice, 17645 Juniper Path, Ste. 155, Lakeville, MN, 55044