Anne Barkley

Anne Belle (Hoffman) Barkley passed away peacefully in Athens, GA, at the age of 80 on Tuesday, September 16, 2025. She was a sweet, beautiful soul who touched the lives of many.

Anne was born in Pontotoc, MS, on January 8, 1945, to Ralph Harper Hoffman and Anne Belle (Williams) Hoffman. She grew up in Elmhurst, IL. After graduating from West Leyden High School in 1963, Anne went on to major in Biology and Psychology at Knox College.

She met her first husband, David P. Comer, while working as a medical attendant at a VA hospital in Chicago. After marrying David in 1968, she moved from Oak Park, IL, to Oxford, MS, where the couple started raising their family before settling in Tupelo, MS.

Anne volunteered with Mississippi's Head Start Program, as well as the Lee County school district, Great Books program, and the U.S. Census Bureau. In her late 30s, she earned her RN and went on to practice nursing at North Mississippi Medical Center Women's Hospital in Tupelo, working in the NICU for 25 years.

In 2000, she married William J. Barkley and moved to New Albany, MS. The couple remained sweethearts until his passing at age 89 in 2023.

Anne had many interests and talents, but some of her favorite times were her adventures with Bill and their beloved dog, Dixie, on their travels around the country, riding horses and camping together.

Anne was a fiercely independent spirit with a brilliant mind. She loved a good debate and puzzles of all kinds: sudoku, crossword, and jigsaw. She loved sweets, dogs, cats, babies, little red sports cars, collecting dinnerware, and groaning at puns. She was equally great at teaching children how to do math, hang wallpaper, be creative on a budget, and stand up for themselves. And she had a talent for decorating birthday cakes, from Holly Hobbie to Bugs Bunny and Cookie Monster.

Anne was a devoted and loving daughter, mother, and grandmother, always ready to drop what she was doing to spend time with her family, especially her grandchildren.

Anne is survived by her children: Rebecca Anne Taylor (Tim), Emily Comer Beaumont (Marc), and Michael David Comer; her grandchildren: Williams A. Beaumont, Mary Eliza Beaumont, and Henry I. Taylor; and her faithful sidekick, Dixie. She is also survived by three stepchildren: Marilyn Barkley Braden (Bobby), Karen Barkley Morgan, and Richard Barkley (Heather); seven step-grandchildren; and seven step-great-grandchildren.

Her children would like to express their sincere thanks to the wonderful caregivers at Arbor Terrace Assisted Living Facility and Agape Hospice Care of Georgia. The family will gather for a private memorial at a later time to honor her spirit.