Obituary for Barbara Kay Stuart (Ward)
Barbara Ward Stuart, 80, of Mount Clare, passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 3, 2020 at her home surrounded by her children following an extended illness. She was born on March 22, 1940 in Clarksburg, a daughter of the late William Dennis "W.D." and Gail Arnold Ward of Route 57, Mount Clare.
She is survived by two children, Lea Ann Stuart Sanders of Cape Coral, FL and her fiancé, Chris Fox and DJ Stuart of Washington, DC.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 47 years, James D. "Jim" Stuart on June 25, 2019. In addition to her parents and husband, she was also preceded in death by her sister, Janet Lea Ward in 1971.
Barbara was a 1958 graduate of Roosevelt-Wilson High School and attended West Virginia Wesleyan College. She taught first grade from 1961-1971 in Prince George's County, MD until her sister's death, when she moved back to West Virginia to be close to family.
Barbara was an active volunteer and leader in her community, donating her time to many causes and organizations. She held various offices in the Nutter Fort Elementary PTA, Harrison County PTA and the West Virginia PTA organization. She served as a volunteer for the Nutter Fort Public Library building fund and was an officer for the Bridgeport High School Band Boosters.
Closest to her heart was the West Virginia 4-H program. Barbara believed in the 4-H motto, "To Make the Best Better." She was a life member of the WV 4-H All-Stars and a club leader in Quiet Dell for over 30 years. She volunteered for many years as a camp counselor and held every office in the Harrison County 4-H Leaders' Association.
Barbara was a member of the former Green Hill United Methodist Church and served on various church and charge-wide committees. She spent much of her life as a caregiver. She took care of her parents, in-laws, aunts, uncles and her husband throughout their lives and in their final days.
Barbara loved her many pets over the years, including two cats, Mr. Stubbs and Miss Tipp, whom she now leaves behind. She enjoyed arts and crafts, gardening and traveling. She often accompanied her late husband on motorcoach bus trips around the US, that he planned, under the name of "Jim's Travelers."
The family requests no flowers. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Barbara Stuarts name to the Harrison County 4-H Endowment (3V834) via the WVU Foundation, One Waterfront Place, 7th Floor, P.O. Box 1650, Morgantown, WV 26507-1650, or by visiting https://advancing.wvu.edu/stuart.
Family and friends will be received at Burnside Funeral Home, 607 S. Virginia Avenue, Bridgeport on Sunday, December 6, 2020 from 2-5 pm. Funeral services will be conducted on Monday, December 7, 2020 at 1:00 pm with Reverend George Bramble presiding. Interment will follow in Floral Hills Memorial Gardens.
She is survived by two children, Lea Ann Stuart Sanders of Cape Coral, FL and her fiancé, Chris Fox and DJ Stuart of Washington, DC.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 47 years, James D. "Jim" Stuart on June 25, 2019. In addition to her parents and husband, she was also preceded in death by her sister, Janet Lea Ward in 1971.
Barbara was a 1958 graduate of Roosevelt-Wilson High School and attended West Virginia Wesleyan College. She taught first grade from 1961-1971 in Prince George's County, MD until her sister's death, when she moved back to West Virginia to be close to family.
Barbara was an active volunteer and leader in her community, donating her time to many causes and organizations. She held various offices in the Nutter Fort Elementary PTA, Harrison County PTA and the West Virginia PTA organization. She served as a volunteer for the Nutter Fort Public Library building fund and was an officer for the Bridgeport High School Band Boosters.
Closest to her heart was the West Virginia 4-H program. Barbara believed in the 4-H motto, "To Make the Best Better." She was a life member of the WV 4-H All-Stars and a club leader in Quiet Dell for over 30 years. She volunteered for many years as a camp counselor and held every office in the Harrison County 4-H Leaders' Association.
Barbara was a member of the former Green Hill United Methodist Church and served on various church and charge-wide committees. She spent much of her life as a caregiver. She took care of her parents, in-laws, aunts, uncles and her husband throughout their lives and in their final days.
Barbara loved her many pets over the years, including two cats, Mr. Stubbs and Miss Tipp, whom she now leaves behind. She enjoyed arts and crafts, gardening and traveling. She often accompanied her late husband on motorcoach bus trips around the US, that he planned, under the name of "Jim's Travelers."
The family requests no flowers. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Barbara Stuarts name to the Harrison County 4-H Endowment (3V834) via the WVU Foundation, One Waterfront Place, 7th Floor, P.O. Box 1650, Morgantown, WV 26507-1650, or by visiting https://advancing.wvu.edu/stuart.
Family and friends will be received at Burnside Funeral Home, 607 S. Virginia Avenue, Bridgeport on Sunday, December 6, 2020 from 2-5 pm. Funeral services will be conducted on Monday, December 7, 2020 at 1:00 pm with Reverend George Bramble presiding. Interment will follow in Floral Hills Memorial Gardens.