Barbara Hancock

DEFIANCE - Barbara Jean Hancock, age 81, of Defiance, passed away peacefully Sunday, November 30 at Kingsbury Place surrounded by her loving children.

She was born on November 5, 1944, to the late Raymond A. and Mapha L. (Lamb) Schaadt, in Paulding, Ohio and passed away on what would have been her parent's 86th wedding anniversary. She grew up on the family farm and was forever a farm girl. When she was a teenager, she loved to travel around the United States, especially out west to see rodeos and visit historic places with her sisters. On one of her most memorable trips, she and two of her sisters met Clint Eastwood and some of the crew of Rawhide while staying at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. Before marrying and starting her family, Barbara worked as a teletype operator for the Crescent-News. One of her often-recounted stories was being the first person in Defiance to read about President John F. Kennedy's assassination as the news came across her teletype machine. She married Ronald Hancock in 1967 and they had five children. She enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom and actively participating in and supporting her children's school and extra-curricular activities, especially helping with their 4-H projects and cheering them on for band and athletics. She was extremely proud that all five of her children attended college. After her divorce and until her retirement, she worked at Sauder Woodworking in Archbold, where she formed many friendships and fond memories with her co-workers.

Barbara was a wonderful faith-filled woman, who had an infectious laugh and always had kind words to say. She never met a stranger and had a special way of making everyone feel welcome. She loved cooking and passionately collected recipes all of her life. She was very giving and always happily gifted her homemade food and baked goods and shared freely of her time. She loved to garden and could impress you with the Latin names of flowers. What she loved most was her family; they were her pride and joy. She enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren and her laughter and stories will be sincerely missed at family gatherings.

Barbara was a member of St. Isidore Catholic Church, the Altar and Rosary Society, and the Farm Bureau of Paulding County.

In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her sisters, Marjorie (Mekus)Wilhelm and Beverly Schaadt and two grandchildren, Emily and Nathaniel Hancock. Barbara leaves behind her five beloved children: John (Lisa Crumit) Hancock of Defiance, Lillian (JR) Armstrong of Lyons, Ohio, Lorinda (Jeffrey) Yoder of Monclova, Ohio, James (Judith) Hancock, of White House, Ohio and Lesley (Douglas) Krouse of Defiance; her eleven grandchildren: Katherine (Joao Franca) Hancock, Jacob (Cora) Armstrong, Samuel (Emilie Thomas) Yoder, William Hancock, Wade (Tabitha) Armstrong, Evelyn Yoder, Liam Krouse, Owen Hancock, Garrett Krouse, Josephine Hancock, and Ian Hancock, and her three great-grandchildren: Ellis, Ottilie, and Eleanor Armstrong as well as another one on the way. Barbara has one surviving sister, Marilyn (Robert) Kunesh of Ney, Ohio.

Kingsbury Place quickly became her home this past year and the family is deeply grateful for the many laughs and compassionate care provided by their caregivers. The family would also like to thank Elara Caring for their support in recent days.

A viewing will be held Sunday, December 7, 2025, from 1-5 p.m. at Schaffer Funeral Home in Defiance with a Rosary Service at 1 p.m. Funeral Mass will be at St. Isidore Catholic Church, Marysdale at 11 a.m. Monday, December 8, 2025, with a dinner in the church hall following. Barbara will be laid to rest in Junction St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Auglaize Township at 2pm the same day.

Memorials are suggested to 4-H Camp Palmer, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Four County, and St. Isadore's Altar and Rosary Society. Online condolences can be given at www.Schafferfh.com.