On the evening of June 1, our precious mother entered the amazing presence of Jesus, our Savior! At 93 years young, Mom had a heart attack as my sister here in Kansas City, and I prepared to take her from the rehabilitation center back to the hospital where she’d spent half of her last month with right-sided congestive heart failure issues. We are so thankful for the beautiful time just last week that we four girls were able to be with her and sing to and with her before a couple of us leave for overseas ministries soon! The morning of June 1, she’d just taken a turn for the worse. Thankfully, my sister and I were able to sing to her in the ER as she slipped away into Jesus’ arms! Thank you for your prayers and condolences.

Special thanks to Jacob Smith, FNP at Harrisonville Family Medical Center, and Dr. Wise and Dr. Mohialdeen, and the amazing staff at Belton Regional Medical Center, who tenderly cared for her in most of her last days. We praise God for a mother who loved and served Jesus through her family, friends, and anyone she met! She really cared!

Barbie was an avid witness for Jesus to each one she encountered, always giving them a booklet with words of Scripture after often witnessing verbally. She instilled in her four daughters the importance of taking the gospel worldwide, having spent three years as a single missionary in Japan and going with her husband to minister in Bolivia for several years. After that, she was active in local ministry along with mothering in Iowa. 

The visitation and celebration of life service will be Friday, June 7, at 10:00 and 11:00, respectively, at Southland Baptist Church, 16205 Vicie Ave., Belton, MO, with McGilley and George Funeral Home presiding. 

Todd and I would be grateful for your prayers that God will bring those of her 35 grandchildren who do not yet know Christ to faith in him, strengthen all the others for full dedication, and bring each of her young great-grandchildren to salvation.