Barbara Ann Grantham

Barbara Grantham, age 84, passed away peacefully on Friday September 5, 2025, leaving behind a rich legacy of love and family history. Born in, Saint Louis, Missouri to Cecil and Mary Lou Junkins, she developed a love of family with her sister Cheryl, a joy in camping and traveling, and a lifelong passion for genealogy, a pursuit of that became more than a hobby-it was a calling.

Barbara served many years as a pediatric and Oncology nurse in Springfield, Mo. She spent countless hours tracing their family's roots, piecing together the lives of ancestors and illuminating the forgotten stories of past generations. She found immense joy in the detective work of genealogy, meticulously examining historical records, navigating through census data, and connecting with distant relatives to expand the ever-growing family tree.

For Barbara, this wasn't just research; it was a deeply personal journey of connection. She didn't just collect names and dates she brought people to life, sharing stories of resilience, love, and perseverance with family members near and far. Her work was a gift, a way of ensuring that her heritage and the stories of those who came before her would live on.

Barbara is survived by her beloved husband Bill of 63 years, sister Cheryl (Junkins) Hartman , children Penny Kreul (Kuper) and Kirk Grantham (Brooke), grandchildren Beverley Flatt (James), Sarah Brown (Ryan), Taylor Grantham (Lian), Madison Johnson (Eli), Lynn Kreul, and Carter Grantham, as well as countless great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and friends, all of whom are a part of the rich legacy of love and shared history that will forever be part of her life. A graveside service will be held Monday October 6th at 10 am at Brookline Cemetery. In lieu of the flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the First Christian Church of Republic Missouri.

May she now find peace among the beloved ancestors whose lives she so thoughtfully preserved.