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Born the baby of the family to Laura Arizona and Robinson McKinley Farmer, Barbara Faye grew up in Galax, Virginia, right across from the schoolhouse where she could run home for lunch every day. She loved to tell stories of her mama milking the cows, her daddy patching his tire every night like it was just part of the day’s work, and how he built their little four-room family home complete with an avocado green wood cook stove that still stands today.Barbara was never one to swoon over just anybody… until along came a young man named Ray Rider. With that trademark Rider grin, ears that could wiggle on command, and jokes that kept her laughing, Barbara didn’t stand a chance. What started as a stroll down Main Street in Galax turned into a love story for the ages. The two slipped away to South Carolina to marry before his mama, Ruth Alice, passed from cancer, Barbara wanted that dear woman to know her boy was settled. Ray always said he “married up,” and Barbara, with her quiet smile, let him keep right on thinking it.Together they raised three children: Sharon Ann, Gerry Ray, and Randy Harlan. Ray had a way of spoiling Barbara with shiny muscle cars, and she rode around town like the queen of Carroll County. Though Ray swore up and down he hated Galax maybe it was the weather or maybe it was because Barbara loved it so much, his work carried him and Barbara to Lynchburg, where they built the rest of their life together. Still, when the time came, Barbara’s strong southern will marched him right back home to Galax to be laid to rest.Barbara’s kitchen was the heart of her home. Her sausage gravy and biscuits could rouse teenagers out of the deepest sleep, and her hard-fried eggs were gospel truth. She made meals the way she lived life,full of love, seasoned with humor, and always enough to share.In her later years, Barbara lived in Lynchburg, though she never let anyone forget that Galax would always be home. At Runk & Pratt she made fast friends, worshiped faithfully, and found joy in the company of her favorite staff members, including Morgan, Christine, and Emma.On September 26, 2025, at 2:28 pm, Barbara traded earth for heaven. We like to picture her walking into a kitchen where her mama already had the stove hot, her daddy was patching a tire in the corner, Ray was jingling the keys to a brand-new muscle car, Gerry had just returned from feeding the cows, and Sharon was baking up dessert.Barbara leaves behind her son Randy and his wife Christie; three grandchildren, Tiffany (and husband Cory Moore), Chelsey (and husband Kyle Crickenberger), and Keith (and wife Elizabeth Mattingly); and nine great-grandchildren: Adalynn Moore, Coltyn Moore, Raelynn Crickenberger, Brixton Crickenberger, Charli Rider, Kimber Crickenberger, Easton Crickenberger, Hallie Rider, and sweet Weston Crickenberger, who welcomed her to heaven. She also leaves behind her nephew Bobby (and wife Connie), son of her sister Betty Mae.Barbara was preceded in death by her beloved husband Ray Rider, her children Sharon Ann and Gerry Ray, and her great-grandson Weston Crickenberger.Today, Randy and Bobby can still be found on that same farm mending fences, chasing cows, and working side by side just like they did as barefoot kids playing cowboys. They keep the place alive with the same grit and love Barbara was raised on, tending it until the next generation is ready to step in and carry it forward.Barbara’s life was a tapestry of faith, food, family, and that strong mountain spirit. She will be remembered for her stories and the way she loved her people.The funeral service will be held Wednesday at 2:00 PM in the Vaughan-Guynn Chapel. Burial will follow in the Monta Vista Cemetery. The family will receive freinds Wednesday from 1:00 PM until time for the funeral service at the Vaughan-Guynn Funeral Home.

Barbara Faye Farmer Rider

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Barbara Faye's Obituary