Barbara Marie Crain

Barbara Marie (Batson) Crain died 14 February 2025.
She was born to Allen Clinch Batson and Dorothy Marie Dalon on 19 March 1933 in St. Louis, MO. She changed schools frequently as a child, due to her father's occupation as a carpenter. As a result, she felt she was shy, because she was always "the new kid". The family eventually settled in Springfield, where Barbara graduated from Central High School in 1951, and later attended Draughon Business School, where she learned secretarial skills. She then took a job at Seaboard Finance. About this time, she decided to take dance lessons at Arthur Murray, which is where she met her future husband, Frank (Bert) Crain. They were married on 12 October 1959. They lived first on Lindberg Street, and moved to their house on Harvard Avenue (then Valley Road) in 1964.
Once her children were older, Barbara worked for both the American Red Cross, and Community Blood Center. She also helped out occasionally at Native Wood Products in Ozark, the business Bert owned with his father and brother. Once Bert retired, she became active in the Auxiliary of the American Legion. She was also a member of, at various times, the Joie d'Vie club, Southminster Presbyterian Church, a volunteer at Crosslines, Rachel Donaldson Chapter DAR, DAV Auxiliary, and had a lifetime membership in the American Legion Auxiliary. She was known for her pecan pie.
Barbara was predeceased by her parents and husband, Bert. She is survived by daughters Julie Miguel (Jesse) and Karen Burghout (Gerald), and grandchildren Madeline Dasch (T J), Dr. Jedediah Burghout, and Joshua Miguel. She is to be interred at Missouri Veterans Cemetery of Springfield. Barbara's family would like to thank the staff at Birch Pointe Health, Cox South, and Integrity Hospice for their professionalism and compassion.
Funeral Service will be held at 11:30 a.m., Monday, February 24, 2025, at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home. Visitation will be prior to the funeral from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m in the funeral home. Interment will be in Missouri Veterans Cemetery.