Nancy Jean Smith Barnard

In Loving Memory of Nancy Jean Smith Barnard
February 22, 1940 – March 27, 2025
On Thursday, March 27, 2025, Nancy Jean Barnard, beloved wife, mother, and Grandmommy, left us peacefully, after a two-year long battle with cancer, at the age of 85.
Nancy was the heart of our family, a woman of kindness, strength, joy, and boundless love. She devoted her life to nurturing those around her, always offering a warm smile, encouraging words, and a comforting embrace. Her love for her family was immeasurable, and her legacy will live on through the values she instilled in us. Her unwavering faith, love for our Lord, and compassion touched the lives of many, and her memory will be treasured always.
Nancy is survived by her devoted spouse of 66 years (67 years on June 1st), Grady Leon Barnard; her cherished children, Carmen Jean Nixon and her husband, Dean, and Grady "Bubba" Alan Barnard; her adored grandchildren, Nicole Brehm and her husband, Kyle; Ryan Hammonds and his wife, Molly; Lauren Barnard and Noah Barnard; and her precious great-grandchildren, Landon and Olivia Brehm and Beau, Hayes, and Laine Hammonds; her brother, Billy Smith and wife, Joanne; her sister, Joanne Moon and husband Duane; her brother, Michael Smith and wife, Tracey. She was preceded in death by her parents, Joe Witt and Frances Hahn Smith.
Nancy was a wonderful wife, loving mom, amazing Grandmommy, and a sweet and loyal friend. She never knew a stranger and was always welcoming and loving to all she met. She loved others like Jesus, and she was a shining light to all she encountered. Nancy and Grady loved to travel and visited so many exciting places over the years, including Bermuda, China, Africa, Greece, Australia, Alaska, Hawaii, and many other states in our great country. She loved to go on cruises. Nancy's favorite place was on a "beach somewhere"! She loved to take pictures and documented all of their travels through photographs, organized in albums dedicated to each individual vacation. As a family, Grady and I remember many fun times on family vacations. We all have a love of water, any body of water, anywhere. Our fondest memories are of camping in House of Horrors #1 at Lake Texoma, Tyler State Park and Lake Whitney State Park, where dad was always fixing something, either the camper or our mini-bike! Later, we had a cabin at Lake Whitney, where we learned to water ski behind our favorite tri-hull, the Invader, with a 75 horsepower Johnson! We would head to the lake almost every single weekend from May through August and skied our hearts out. There were also many trips to Galveston through the years. Her grandchildren will always remember her fun-loving spirit with them, taking them on beach trips, zoos, Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, Dinosaur Valley State Park, Six Flags, or just hanging out in their home and pool at Eagle Mountain Lake. And, we cannot forget all of the AMAZING Christmases we celebrated with Dad and her (the original Mr. and Mrs. Claus). Everyone would get anything and everything they asked for and more. When the family grew and grew, the stacks of presents grew and grew! No matter where Christmas was celebrated through the years, each one was special and will not soon be forgotten.
A celebration of Nancy's life will be held on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, 1:00 pm, at Mulkey-Mason Funeral Home, 740 S. Edmonds Ln., Lewisville, TX 75067. There will be a visitation one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children in her honor. She was our guiding light, and though she may be gone from our sight, she will never be gone from our hearts.
Rest in peace, our dearest Nancy, Mom, and Grandmommy. You are loved beyond words and will be missed beyond measure.