Barbara Jean Cornejo passed away peacefully in her home on June 21, 2021, at the age of 90. She was with her husband and children.

Barbara Jean Juarez was born to Martin and Jean Juarez in San Gabriel, CA on July 22, 1930. She spent much of her early life with her beloved Grandmother and her cousin, Dolly.  In 1935 at the age of 5, Barbara moved to Lompoc, CA with her mother, Jean, and her stepfather, Ray Macias. Ray and Barbara formed a strong bond and she began using the last name Macias among friends and eventually had her name changed legally to reflect her affection for her stepfather.  The family moved seasonally to follow various crop harvests but always returned to Lompoc where, in high school, Barbara worked as a pollinator for Bodger Seeds, pollinating petunias by hand with a paintbrush.

In 1950 Barbara was crowned the Lompoc 4 ^th of July Rodeo Queen. Shortly after she was named Rodeo Queen, Ruben Cornejo, Barbara's high school sweetheart, proposed. The two were married on December 26, 1950.  The couple moved to Panama where Ruben was serving in the US Army. It was there in Panama that they welcomed their first son, Mark. The Army then took them to Texas where they welcomed their daughter, Cynthia. From there they moved to Germany, where they added their son, Richard, then back to Texas where they had their youngest daughter, Marcia. After their Army service, they settled back in Lompoc where Barbara had a career in banking. In their retirement, the couple enjoyed traveling around the country and abroad. They drove across the country in their RV and visited Mexico, Italy, Alaska, China, and Spain.  Barbara volunteered at PCPA Theater where she was able to enjoy her passion for plays and musicals. She also found great joy as a member of the Red Hat Society. Barbara was an avid reader, a wonderful cook, and an amazing gardener. She was truly the matriarch of the family, often hosting family functions, where she and Ruben would gather their family around the dinner table and tell stories of their life together. She brought warmth, grace, and beauty to everything she did.

Her life will be forever cherished by her one and only love, her husband of 70 years, Ruben Cornejo; her brother, Rocky Macias; her four children - Mark (Cindy) Cornejo, Cynthia Segovia, Richard Cornejo, and Marcia Cornejo; her four grandchildren – Stacey (Sean) Larsen, Cassie (Lance) Campa, Brett (Jacob) Claborn, and Melanie (Kyle) Tweet; and her ten great-grandchildren – Taylor, Landon, Charlie, Patrick, Harper, Chloe, Collin, Ava, Kevy, and Summer.

Barbara is preceded in death by her mother, Jean Macias, her father, Martin Juarez, and her stepfather, Ray Macias.

A celebration of life will be held graveside at Lompoc Evergreen Cemetery on Friday, July 2, 2021, at 10:30 am. The arrangements are under the direction of Starbuck-Lind Mortuary in Lompoc, CA. In lieu of flowers please donate to your favorite charity in her honor.