Barbara Jean Shackelford

A Light That Will Never Dim
Some people walk through this world leaving footprints. Barbara Jean Shackelford (BJ) danced through it leaving joy, laughter, and a love so vast it seemed to defy the laws of nature. On October 15th, 2025, Barbara (BJ) reached the end of this life knowing that her eternal life with God awaits her.
Barbara (BJ) was the most loving wife, mom, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, nurse, friend, and quite possibly the funniest critic of ripped jeans the world has ever known.
Born in Chicago on August 20, 1941, Barbara (BJ) discovered early in life that her purpose was simple and profound: to love people well and witness always. As a psychiatric nurse, she didn't just care for patients-she transformed lives with a combination of professional excellence and genuine human warmth that made healing feel possible. Later, as an instructor, she taught countless nursing students not just the science of care, but its sacred art. Her students learned that medicine is administered with hands, but healing happens through the heart.
Ask anyone who knew her, and they'll tell you: Barbara's (BJ) greatest gift wasn't what she did-it was who she was. There's a song that asks, "Do They See Jesus in Me?" and in Barbara (BJ), the answer was an undeniable, radiant yes. Her faith in Christ wasn't something she wore-it was the very essence of how she lived every single day. She possessed that rare quality of making every single person feel like they mattered, like they were seen, like they were cherished by both her and her God. Her greatest wish was that her witness-her kindness, her joy, her unwavering love-would draw her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren closer to the Lord. And in that mission, she succeeded beyond measure.
Her humor was legendary, her mischief unmatched. Barbara (BJ) was notorious for bunny ear photobombs, short-sheeting beds when you least expected it, and the infamous Snappy Pappy incident that will live in the family lore forever. She had an endless supply of silly jokes and a special talent for playfully roasting anyone brave enough to wear ripped jeans-particularly her grandson Brett, who may never live it down. But beneath every laugh, every prank, every teasing word was something deeper: pure, unconditional love.
Barbara (BJ) had a gift for making people feel extraordinary. Bring her a plate of rocks or a fistful of dandelion weeds, and she would treasure it as though you'd handed her diamonds and roses. She didn't just accept gifts-she celebrated them, and more importantly, she celebrated you. She had this remarkable way of lifting people up, of making them feel like they had done something truly amazing. Growing up in her presence meant knowing, without a shadow of doubt, that she would do anything in her power to help you-or anyone else fortunate enough to cross her path. That wasn't just kindness; it was a calling she answered every day of her life.
She had this remarkable trick of telling each of her grandchildren they were her favorite, and somehow, impossibly, they all believed it. Because when Barbara (BJ) loved you, you felt like the center of the universe. When she smiled at you, rooms lit up. When she believed in you, you believed in yourself.
Barbara's (BJ) truest passion was her faith and family. Her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren weren't just her legacy-they were her greatest joy, her daily delight, her reason for everything. Time spent with loved ones wasn't just time; it was a natural habitat, where her love could flow freely and endlessly, where her laughter could ring out, where her faith could shine brightest.
Barbara (BJ) touched countless lives with a kindness that felt both gentle and fierce, a humor that could lighten any moment, and a faith that anchored everyone around her. She was living proof that one person, armed with genuine love and a servant's heart, can change the world-one patient, one student, one family member, one silly joke, one photobomb at a time.
Barbara (BJ) was preceded in death by her son, David Straight; her parents, Roland (Joan) Flyte, Irma Johnson; and her brothers, Jesse, Joe, and Jack Flyte.
Barbara is survived by her husband, Howard Shackelford; her son, Brian (Ericka) Straight; her daughters, Jeanie Varin and Deborah Parrish; her siblings: Glen (Jeanne) Cramer, Charlene (Melvin) Blanchard, Judy (Ben) Davis, and Jon (Peggy) Flyte, her sister-in-law Kathi Flyte; her grandchildren: Brant (Aubrey) Parrish, Brett Parrish, David (Eve) Lauer, Jonathan (Stephanie) Lauer, Joseph Varin, Natasha Baird, Devin Baird, Damien (Vanessa) Baird, and Derrick Straight; and her great-grandchildren: Destiny Baird, Hudson Straight, Maraya Mohamedou, Zahara Mohamedou, and Bruce Lauer. Additionally, she is survived by her step-children of the Whitaker and Lewis families.
She leaves behind a family who will forever miss her and hear her laughter in their memories, feel her love in their hearts, and carry forward her legacy of kindness. And yes, Brett-she'd still be teasing you about those jeans.
In lieu of sadness, Barbara Jean Shackelford would want us to celebrate. Celebrate that love this genuine actually exists with God in your life and by your side. Celebrate that for 84 years, she showed us all what it means to live with an open heart, endless grace, and just the right amount of mischief.
She was a gift from God. And we were so blessed to receive her.
Funeral services will be held at 4:00 P.M. on Thursday, October 23, 2025 at the Garr Funeral Home (7806 Highway 311, Sellersburg, Indiana 47172) with interment to follow at Sellersburg Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Thursday from 1:00 P.M. until the time of the service at the funeral home.
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