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Barbara Gillingham Obituary
Barbara Jolly Standley Gillingham, (ARLINGTON)the sweetest thing God ever wrapped skin around left us Saturday, January 29, 2011. Barbara lost her long and brutal battle with breast & pancreatic cancer.
Services: Funeral Services will be held Thursday at 2 p.m. at Shannon Rose Hill Funeral Chapel. The family will receive friends 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Shannon Rose Hill Funeral Chapel.
Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations be made to The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, P.O. Box 4486, Houston, Texas 77210-4486. Earmark your donation for Pancreatic Cancer Research in Barbara Gillingham's memory.
Barbara Jolly was born December 3, 1950 in Houston, TX and moved to Arlington, TX in 1983 with her husband Roy and sons Robby & Douglas. She never met a stranger and immediately grabbed the heart of everyone she came into contact with. She was definitely the centerpiece of our family who held us all together.
After raising her two sons, she became very active with the WWGA at Woodhaven Country Club for 21 years, during which she served as President in 1999. Barbara developed a life long bond with many of her Woodhaven buddies. She also served as a volunteer for the annual Colonial PGA golf tournament for the past 20 years.
For the past 9 years, Barbara was Vice-President of Metal Supermarkets in Ft Worth, TX; a family business that she helped foster.
She was preceded in death by her Mama, Bobbie Standley, Daddy, Robert J. Standley, Sister Adelaide Black, Brother Charlie, Grandmother, Shug, Grandfather Jimmy and Aunt Frankie.
Barbara is survived by husband of 41 years, Roy Gillingham, son Robby Gillingham and wife Gena, son Douglas Gillingham, brother & sister, Dan & Karen Gillingham, parents Robert & Wilma Gillingham, nieces Rebecca and Lisa, nephew Brad and 5 grandkids.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Barbara Gillingham
February 8, 2011
Roy, Doug and Robby, Barbara was a unique little gal who had so many good qualities that made up this wonderful friend. She had a gift of knowing when you needed her for good and bad times, and she would always make herself available. She was here on earth for too short a time but left each of us with a valuable and treasured memory. I will miss her very much. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Alice Brotherton
Debbie Skinner
February 5, 2011
May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.
Martha Wunder
February 5, 2011
Roy, Robby and Douglas, my deepest condolences to you for the loss of your sweet wife and Mother.
Thanks to you Roy for re-introducing Barbara and me in 2000. We started growing our friendship and I found out what a delightful and dear person she was. She called me a "girly girl" and I called her a "tom boy in pink". Although we were not alike in those ways, our love for cooking and sunny beaches brought us close. Oh, how we loved our shrimp runs to Galveston and Corpus. We would lie on the beach for 3 days drinking pina coladas and the last day would start searching for fresh shrimp. She taught me so much about how to select the best. We iced down about 30 lbs. for each of us and our familes, and headed home tanned and happy. We planned many more of those trips in the years to come, but the dreadful disease that she feared most interfered. She fought so hard and was so brave through those 14 months. We just have to believe that God needed her to dance on the beach in heaven with her Mama, Daddy, Ann and Shug. She will be sorely missed by all that knew and loved her. I am just thankful that we had those good times together and that I have my precious memories of her.
My prayers are with you all for the lonely days ahead.
Love, Marti
Dwayne Swenson
February 3, 2011
Roy,
I am so sorry for your great loss. Please accept my condolences for you and your family.
Lindsay Derbes
February 3, 2011
My Aunt Dolly was a very special person, and I was unable to make her funeral, but she is now watching over our family. I love you Aunt Dolly!! My Aunt always new how to make someone smile, and always new the right things to say.
Roy Coble
February 2, 2011
Roy so sorry for your loss,she will be missed. She was one of the greatest ladys I ever met.
Don/Jen Justison
February 2, 2011
Barbara you will be sadly missed, Jen and I loved you like a mom. I will always be your Superman and when I hear the song "Does he love you" by Reba, I will always remeber you and Jen singing it to me on Karaoke night. Roy, Robbie and Douglas you will be in our prayers. Don and Jen Justison
Betty Grebe
February 2, 2011
My thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of grief. May your memories bring you comfort.
Mac Glazier
February 2, 2011
I am so sorry for your loss,Roy,Robby,Douglas,you are in my thoughts and prayers.
Nancie Finzel
February 2, 2011
Roy,
I used to work for Daryl Ground and worked closely with Barbara. She was one of my favorite clients and always had a smile on her face. My God carry you through the months ahead. Your family will be in my prayers.
Laurie Riddle
February 1, 2011
My heart goes out to you at this time and in the days ahead.
Sandra Gillis
February 1, 2011
I knew Barbara because of Noralee Guhl and our many golf adventures and trips. I am so sorry to hear of her passing. My thoughts go out to Roy and boys and the family. Woodhaven may have been her golf home, but Mountain Valley in Joshua was her home away from home.
Bob Blumrick
February 1, 2011
So sorry to read about Barbara in this morning's Houston Chronicle. I had known her well in high school but we had drifted apart after graduation and only recently had begun to communicate again through Facebook and reunions. See ya later, Barbara. Bears Forever 1969!
Barbara Parrott McGinity
February 1, 2011
I was very saddened to hear of Barbara's passing. Barbara and I were friends starting in elementary school. In the same Girl Scout troop, we really started hanging out together alot in Junior High and early into High School. We considered each other "best friends" for many of those years.
We spent a great deal of time together during those pubescence years growing into young women. Sharing the experiences of first dates, first boyfriends, first kisses.
Here are a few of my favorite stories and memories about Barbara:
1) taking the bus on Long Point downtown to see a movie and stopping on the way to or from to visit her grandmother Shug and Aunt Frankie in the Sixth Ward right off of Washington Ave.
2) My mother went out of town and I was going to cook dinner for my father. I was very excited to make him fried chicken and mashed potatoes on my own, only to be horrified when I realized I had no idea how to cut up a whole chicken. I called Barbara and her father drove her over to my house and she cut it for me. I was very grateful!
3) Our Girl Scout troop went to Hawaii for our "senior" trip. In Honolulu, close to our hotel, they were filming episodes of a brand new show, Hawaii Five-O. We were all sitting on the curb watching, when Barbara decided to take her Swinger camera and get a picture of Jack Lord. We were all freaking out she had such nerve. She took one photo and a crew member noticed her, called her over, and then took a picture of her with Jack Lord with that little Swinger. If you remember those cameras they didn't produce that great of photos, but I swear it was the best picture that came out of it for that whole trip.
I was honored to be her Maid of Honor when she and Roy got married. It was always good to see Barbara at reunions, smiling and happy. I know her family will miss the "bright ray of sunshine" she always was...no matter how cloudy the day. Rest in peace sweet lady.
February 1, 2011
I was so sorry to read about Barbara's passing. I want to extend my sympathy to all of her family. I met Barbara several years ago at Woodhaven C.C. and I still have a little "trinket" that she gave me. It became a standing joke between us. Every time I open a drawer and see this little "trinket" I will think of Barbara with fondness.
Helen Lynch
Betty Grebe
February 1, 2011
I was so sorry to hear of your loss. The thoughts of many are with you at this time of sorrow.
Karen Kuczek
February 1, 2011
Barbara was a tough lady and she fought her cancer with dignity. She showed up to cheer Rayma and I on at the Komen 3 Day in November despite not feeling her best. I will miss her and her sweet smile. My condolences to Roy, Robbie, Doug and the rest of her family.
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