Barbara W. Winder

Barbara Ann Woodhead Winder (May 9, 1931 – June 25, 2017) was the eleventh general president of the Relief Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1984 to 1990.

Family and education Barbara Woodhead was born on May 9, 1931, in Midvale, Utah to Willard Verl Woodhead and Marguerite Hand. She was the oldest of four children. She was raised in then rural East Millcreek, Utah, in the family's white frame house, where she weeded the garden, played in the orchard, and picked berries for her neighbors to earn money. Although her parents were not active in the LDS Church until Barbara was 25, they permitted her to attend church and be baptized. At the church's April 1984 General Conference, Winder was sustained as the Relief Society General President, with Joy F. Evans and Joanne B. Doxey as her counselors. Winder succeeded Barbara B. Smith, who had been Relief Society General President since 1974. Winder became president after a time of great division over the Equal Rights Amendment movement. As such, she stressed unity in her messages. "It is a time to heal," said Winder, "a time to bond women to women and women to men. We can have unity in diversity and diversity in unity. We don’t have to be like one another to enjoy sisterhood." They served in that assignment from 1990 to 1993. From 1993 to 1996, Winder served as assistant matron of the Jordan River Utah Temple. due to complications from pulmonary fibrosis.