Lauarita Celaya Grider Barber

1917 - 2012

Laurita Celaya Grider Barber was born March 16, 1917 to Laura Celaya and Elmore Starr Grider in Brownsville, Texas. She passed on October 30, 2012 at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, Texas.
She attended school in Brownsville, Texas at the old Incarnate Word Convent, Villa Maria High School, and Brownsville Junior College. Laurita graduated college at Incarnate Word College in San Antonio, Texas where she was president of her class and obtained a BA Degree in Spanish. She was a member of the Spanish Club and Alpha Delta Sigma Sorority.
Her knowledge of Spanish was a great asset during the years she spent in Puerto Rico where she taught at the private San Juan School, and in the Republic of Panama where she taught at the Ancon School in the Panama Canal Zone. She also taught school in the Brownsville Independent School District earlier in her career and later in the Spring Branch Independent School District where she retired in 1981.
During her years in Brownsville, she was a member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, Junior Service League, and was president of the League of Women Voters among other social activities. In Puerto Rico, she was able to make friends easily and in Panama she was a member of the Circle of International Friends.
On June 15, 1940, Laurita married Thomas Caldwell Barber, Jr. Through his affiliation with Pan American World Airways, she was able to indulge her enthusiasm for foreign travel and her interest in people and other cultures. They both loved music and dance, and enjoyed them wherever they went.
Laurita's interest in the arts began at an early age with classes in ballet and piano, and later in china painting and oil painting.
Throughout her life she kept up her friendships through cards, letters and phone calls. Her family and friends were very dear to her. In Houston, she attended Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Church and St. Theresa Catholic Church. Her interests and involvements included St. Theresa Women's Club, Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Houston Art Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, and Afton Village Woman's Club.
She was preceded in death in 2004 by her husband of 64 years. Her children were daughter Christine (Barber) Rothe, her son David Nicholas, wife Lori Ann and children Charles Courand, Tristan Nicholas, Juliana Lauryn, and Madelyn Rebekah; son Thomas C. Barber Third, wife Malinda Hopper and children Steven Thomas and Laura Michelle; daughter Victoria Starr (Barber) Cook, husband Lloyd Russell and children Christopher Thomas and Jessica Starr (Cook) DiMarco and husband Stephen. Her sisters were Lucie Starr (Grider) Schwartz (deceased), husband LeRoy (deceased) and children Richard, Starr, Kerry, and Deborah; and, Sarah Ward (Grider) McNair, husband Harry Eugene (deceased) and children Karen, Karol, John, Harry, Michael, Stephen, George and Mary. The family extends deep gratitude to Elizabeth Oviedo for caring for Laurita the last six years of her life in her own home.
A Requiem Mass will be held at Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Church, 7809 Shadyvilla Lane, Houston, Texas 77055, on November 15, 2012 at 7:00 PM with reception afterwards in St. Jude Hall (next door to the church.)
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, please send any donations in memory of Laurita Barber to Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Church at the address listed above. Thank you very much.