Barbara Ellen Edwards

Barbara Ellen (Shackelford) Edwards

September 21, 1940 – March 3, 2026

CAMBRIDGE - Devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and faithful servant of the Lord, Barbara Ellen Edwards, 85, of Cambridge, Ohio, went home to be with her Savior and her husband, Quincy, on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. She passed at home-exactly where she wanted to be-surrounded by the family who fought so hard to keep her there.

A Life of Faith and Home

Born September 21, 1940, in Logansport, Indiana, Barbara grew up along the railroad tracks of the Wabash River. In May 1967, she moved into her home on Spring Street in Cambridge, where she would remain for over 59 years. That house was more than a structure; it was her sanctuary, her mission field, and her final resting place on this earth.

A lifelong member of the Pentecostal Church of God, Barbara's faith was the heartbeat of her life. Even as dementia took its toll, her spirit remained resolute; she insisted on attending church in her final months, often resting on her grandsons' shoulders during the service, refusing to miss a moment of worship.

A Legacy of Unwavering Love

Barbara was the definition of a selfless heart. When she married Quincy, she stepped into a "ready-made" family, lovingly raising his children as her own. She later expanded her family through the adoption of two daughters, Elisa and Denise, and celebrated the birth of her biological daughter, Faith. Over the years, her door and her heart remained open as she welcomed more than five foster children into her home, providing them with the same steadfast care she gave her own.

While Quincy served as President of the Gospel Jubilee Association for more than two decades, Barbara was the unsung, steadfast powerhouse behind the scenes-the unseen strength that kept every event running, every artist supported, and every soul lifted with her unwavering faith and tireless love. She treasured every family milestone, carefully preserving and labeling a corsage from every wedding of her children and grandchildren as a testament to her joy.

Family

She is survived by: Her Children: Biological daughter, Faith Ann (Walter) Shafer-Hockman; adopted daughters, Elisa Bates and Denise Mitchell; and her step-children, Barbara (Leroy) Betts, Cliff Wigfield, Cathy Stillions, Ed (Pam) Edwards, and Merle Edwards.

Her Siblings: Rose Conklin, Katie (Paul) Schmidt, Rocky Shackelford, and Raymond

Shackelford. The Next Generations: 23 grandchildren and over 35 great-grandchildren, many of whom she loved fiercely and prayed for daily.

Barbara was preceded in death by: Her husband of 62 years, Quincy; her parents, including her mother Laura; her siblings, Russel Suddoth, Helen Shackelford, Mary Shackelford, Orval Lee Shackleford, Patricia Shackelford, Ethel May Shackelford, and Joyce June Skaggs; step-daughter, Judy Conklin Miller; son-in-law, Kenny Stillions; grandson, Christopher L. Edwards; granddaughter, Ashley Bates; great-grandson, Keegan Tyler Osborne; and great-great granddaughter, Liliana Hope Aragon-Shafer.

Special Acknowledgments

The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to Heather Hill of New Concord, Ohio, for her tenacious and steadfast dedication as their in-home nurse for well over a decade. Her unwavering support for both Quincy and Barbara-especially through the challenges of COVID and daily medication management-was a priceless blessing.

The family would also like to thank Tisha Phillips of Cambridge, Ohio, Barbara's dedicated right hand nurse's aide. For the last three years of her life, Tisha fulfilled Barbara's heartfelt wish by printing and hanging numerous family photos on the walls, never once called in sick, and made Barbara her top priority every single day.

Service Information

Services will be held at Bundy-Law Funeral Home in Cambridge, Ohio, on Saturday, March 14, 2026: Calling Hours: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Viewing: 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Funeral Service: 2:00 p.m. with Pastor Donny Rowland officiating.

Interment: Burial will follow at Northwood Cemetery, Cambridge. Memorial Contributions: In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Trinity Full Gospel

Church in Zanesville, Ohio, at tfgchurch.com/give. Barbara's online tribute wall / guest book may be viewed and signed at www.bundy-lawfuneralhome.com.