Barbara J. Ross

Barbara Jean Chadwell Ross, born on April 6, 1929, passed from this life on September 16, 2022.  Barbara was born in Kirksville, Missouri and lived in Brashear, Missouri until about the age of 4 when her family moved to Filer, Idaho where she lived for several years.  When Barbara was 12 years old the family returned to Brashear.  She graduated from Brashear High School in 1947 and married her high school sweetheart, John (Jack) Ross on June 6, 1949.

Barbara worked part-time for several years at the Baring post office, from which she retired, but her main focus was always her family. Barbara was an excellent homemaker and a loving wife and mother.  She made a loving home for her family and taught her children to love to read by reading to them often from the time they were very young until they learned to read on their own.  She also instilled a deep appreciation of music by taking her children to piano lessons and lending her support in all of their musical endeavors. She was a faithful daughter who loved and cared for her parents and her parents-in-law, who loved her like their own daughter and embraced her as part of  their family.

Barbara is survived by her four children Margaret (Betsy) Ross and husband Charles Peterson of Opelika, Alabama; Susan Ross (Strong) of Kirksville, Missouri; Anne Ross Dye and husband Ottie Joe Dye of Lake Charles, Louisiana; and John Ross and wife Angela Ross of Hunnewell, Missouri.  She is also survived by sister-in-law Janie Fortney and husband Mel Fortney, sister-in-law Barbara Beerbower; brother-in-law Don Patterson;  her grandchildren Jason Blanton, Melissa Blanton Bowman and husband Brent Bowman, Michelle (Shelly) Dilks, John Dye and wife Susan Dye, Mindy Dye, Johanna Ross, John Robert Ross, Rick Ross, DeNea Hombs and husband Chart Hombs, Andy Strong and Carrie Simmons, Kenady Dollens and husband Thomas Dollens, and Kiley Johnson; 17 great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Barbara was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, John H. Ross, her parents Pearl and Arlene Chadwell, her parents-in-law Pearl and Vaden Ross, son-in-law James Strong, sister-in-law Carol Sue Patterson, sister-in-law Donna Lou Sorenson and husband Phil Sorenson, and brother-in-law, Richard Ross and wife Evelyn Ross.

Barbara’s life will be celebrated with a service of worship at Faith United Methodist Church in Kirksville, Missouri, on October 15, 2022 at 11:00 am.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Faith United Methodist Church in Kirksville, Missouri, The American Cancer Society, or The American Kidney Fund.

Arrangements in the care of Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home; www.davisplaylehudsonrimer.com.