Barbara Farrar Wolfe

On Good Friday, April 2, 2021, Barbara Farrar Wolfe departed from her earthly vessel to be with her heavenly Father.  She was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Bob (Robert Lynn Wolfe, Sr.), her parents, Ellen Frances Farrar Lynch and Clement Vanlandingham (C.V.) Farrar, Jr., her stepfather, James T. Lynch, and her grandchildren, John David Bell and Lisa Ann Wolfe.  She is survived by her brother, Neil Farrar of Nashville, Tennessee, her daughter, Stephanie Wolfe Bell (John) of Montgomery, her sons, Robert Lynn Wolfe, Jr. (Teresa) of Leawood, Kansas, Charles Kevin Wolfe (Missy) of Montgomery, John Stephen Wolfe (Cathy) of Montgomery, and Timothy Alan Wolfe (Karen) of Helena, Alabama , her grandchildren, Sarah Bell, Becca Bell, Katie Bell, Robert Wolfe, Jonathan Wolfe, Laura Wolfe Hunt (David), Zach Wolfe, Anna Clare Wolfe, Ian Wolfe, Jeremy Wolfe, John David Wolfe (Julia), James Wolfe, Ashley Wolfe, and her great granddaughters, Betsy Wills and Abby Wills.

Barbara had been a resident of Montgomery, Alabama for the past 57 years before moving to live the last few weeks of her life with her son, Lynn, in Leawood, Kansas following a bout with the Covid-19 virus.  Barbara was born in Dickson, Tennessee, then, at age 4, moved with her mother, younger brother, grandmother and grandfather to Nashville, Tennessee following the death of her father in an auto accident. She spent the next 15 years being raised, mostly, by her mother and grandmother on a street that, later, became known as Music Row. She took over her younger brother’s paper route when he was unable due to surgeries and was recognized as Nashville’s First Papergirl.

Following graduation from West High School in Nashville, Barbara entered college to study accounting at Tennessee Polytechnic Institute (now, Tennessee Technological University). However, her college career was short-lived. Bob, her high school sweetheart and engineering student at Tennessee Tech and two years her senior proposed and they were married on November 18, 1950. Bob was called to serve in the 101st Airborne Army Division during the Korean War midway during his college career. They had their first child in 1952 during his term of service, and Barbara’s pursuit of a college career ended and her small family began to grow. Following her husband’s graduation and beginning of a career In civil engineering, the three-some moved to St. Louis for a couple of years where a daughter was born, then moved to Miami, Florida for six years where two more sons were added to the brood. Their last move was in 1963 to Montgomery, Alabama where their fifth child, a son, was born and their last 52 years together before Bob’s death in 2015.

Barbara and Bob were actively involved with their family in their church and their community wherever they lived. Barbara taught Sunday School classes and served as a deacon and an elder in Westminster Presbyterian Church in Montgomery. She served in many different programs for youth and children, including mission trips to the Appalachian mountains in White Top, North Carolina and to Morelia, Mexico. She demonstrated her love for children when she decided to care for and teach the young children of others in the Westminster Daycare following the enrollment of her youngest child in public school. Later, when her husband, Bob, decided to embark on creating his own engineering company, Barbara joined her husband as Vice-President and Secretary of the company.

Barbara was a member of the Miami Junior Women’s Club, a Den Mother in the Cub Scouting program, an Assistant Scoutmaster in the Boy Scout program, an adult Girl Scout Leader, acted in various roles in plays presented by the Montgomery Little Theater, was a member of the church choir, and served in the Presbyterian Women of the Church and Women of the Church Circle groups. She loved the Lord and loved her church. She received the Boy Scouts’ District Award of Merit for her service to Scouting. Although she never became a member of the Lions Clubs International service organization, she served with her husband, who was a longtime member, in many Lions and Lioness projects and attended many state and international Lions meetings and conventions.

From the time of their honeymoon until the time of Bob’s death, Barbara and Bob loved traveling together and with their family. They traveled to all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, England, Scotland, France, and the Netherlands. Many of their trips together included attending meetings and conferences related to Bob’s engineering business. She always enjoyed attending technical meetings even though her college education concluded after one year. But, if there was ever a dance band playing, anywhere, they were the last couple to leave the dance floor They loved to dance, together, and were members of a ballroom dance club until her knees no longer allowed her to continue the rigorous activity.

During the last two years of her life, Barbara had to give up living at home and had to move to a smaller apartment home due to her declining health and mobility.  However, she made many new friends during her short-lived stay at Caravita Village in Montgomery. She missed the company of the many friends that she considered to be a part of her extended family and those members of her church family at Providence Presbyterian Church, as well as the other members of her immediate family during her last few weeks of life. There were many doctors, nurses and caregivers who came to know her and her kind and gentle spirit during her last days. Likewise, she was always thankful and appreciative of the care they provided her.

Although we knew her passing would, eventually, be inevitable, her death came unexpectedly and we will miss her, greatly. She was, above all, a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Everything else she did was the result of her love for her family and her love for her Lord Jesus. We can rest in the comfort knowing that she is, now, present with the Lord in His Kingdom.

A memorial service for Barbara will be conducted on Monday, April 12, 2021 at 1:15 PM at one of the committal shelters at the Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo, Alabama at 3133 Highway 119. Her cremains will be interred with those of her husband, Bob, following the service.