Barbara L Labarre

Barbara was born Oct. 9, 1935, in Newton, Kansas, to The Reverend Vincent Clifford Root and Frieda LaVere (Currey) Root.

She is survived by her husband Dr. Gary C. La Barre, whom she married on December 27, 1956; daughters Kathryn La Barre (Carol Tilley) of Urbana, Illinois, and Wen Borowicz (John) of South Dartmouth, Massachusetts; grandchildren Travis and Taylor (Maddi) Hocutt; Kazimir, Maksym, and Tadeusz Borowicz; Riley and Elias Fry; and great-grandchild Elliot Hocutt. She is also survived by sister-in-law Barbara (Mart) Diana, Apollo Beach, Florida; and her beloved cats Rusty and Deenie.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her daughter Laura La Barre Fry.

Barbara retired from ministry in the Episcopal Church, moving with her husband Gary from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Green Valley in 2006. Her proudest achievement was her ordination as Perpetual Deacon in the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma in 1984, where she became the second woman to be so ordained. She founded the Phoenix Hospice program at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and coordinated a food bank for persons with HIV/AIDS.

She earned a B.S. in Education from Kansas State University and completed studies at the Oral Roberts School of Theology as well as a seminary extension in Theology from the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee.

Barbara enjoyed singing in choir and playing the piano. She was an adept soccer athlete. During her time as a military spouse, she was a long-time volunteer in the American Red Cross and the Girl Scouts. While in Tulsa, Barbara enjoyed serving as a Gillie (docent) at the Gilcrease Museum. A zoophilist, she was a staunch and lifelong advocate for animal well-being.

Well-loved by all who knew her, Barbara lived and loved with fierce passion, curiosity, and generosity. Befriender of lost souls, she welcomed strays - both animal and human - into her heart and home. Her life was a balm to the sad, lost, and lonely. She leaves us humbled by the power of her love and how it staved off loneliness and despair for each life she touched.

A funeral service will be held at St. Francis in the Valley Episcopal Church on Saturday, August 19, 2023, at 11 am, with a reception immediately following.