Barbara Jean Christie

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Barbara Jean Christie
October 4, 1942 to December 21, 2024.

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Barbara Christie, loving wife and mother, passed away on December 21, 2024, with family at her side. A graveside service will be held at Hamilton Beeman Cemetery 700 FM Rd 2555, Corsicana, TX 75110 on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024 at 11 a.m.

Barbara was born on October 4, 1942 in Corsicana, Texas to J.A. Penney, Sr. and Geneva (Watkins) Penney. She graduated from Mildred High School in 1961. Later she married the one true love of her life, Elton Edward Christie. They were blessed with 63 years of marriage and raised two sons, Grady and Darin. Barbara was the kindest and most compassionate person one could ever hope to meet. She was loved by all.

Barbara always enjoyed life to the fullest. Her interests and hobbies included reading, spending time outdoors, music, especially country, cooking and sports. She was a huge fan of the Dallas Cowboys. She and Elton actually met at a high school football game. Her passing leaves a void that can never be filled. She will be missed.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Elton Christie; father, John Andrew Penney; mother, Geneva Penney; son, Darin Christie; brother, J.A. Penney, Jr.; and sister, Auralia Wren. She is survived by son, Grady Christie (Karen); sister, Bettie Evans; nieces, Laurie Robertstad (Dave), Julie Evans, Sidney Schutze, and Stephanie Gage (Ronnie); nephew, Gary Penney (Donna); and numerous family and friends.

The family wishes to express sincere thanks to the staff of Ascension Providence Hospital ICU unit, Caring Senior Service and to caregivers Catalina Valdez, Cynthia Welch and Christa Halliday, for their exemplary care and support.

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EULOGY FOR BARBARA JEAN CHRISTIE
DELIVERED BY HER NIECE, JULIE EVANS
DECEMBER 28, 2024
HAMILTON-BREEMAN CEMETERY

Hi, I am Julie and I’m proud to be here today to speak about my Aunt Barbara Jean Christie. She had four nieces, Sidney, Stephanie, and my sister Laurie and myself. We all loved her very much. You see, Aunt Barbara was always the young, cool Aunt. She was only 18 years old when Laurie was born and had just turned 20 when I was born. She always had the “grooviest” clothes when we were kids. For me, personally, she was the other “girly girl” in the family.

Not only did Aunt Barbara and I share a birthday month, we also inherited and shared Maw Maw’s lifelong love of anything pink. We shared a love of cranberry glass and red velvet cake with cream cheese icing. I could always count on the absolute girliest birthday card arriving from Aunt Barbara every single year and have saved each one.

My Mom told me a story this last weekend about when I was born. Laurie was only 18 months old and Barbara had offered to keep her while Maw Maw went to the hospital to be with Mom. Well, Barbara found out which room Mom was in and took Laurie to the parking lot beneath her window so Laurie could wave to Mom. That’s just what Barbara did, though. She always wanted everyone to be happy and feel important.

The first thing that everyone noticed about Barbara was her beauty. She was always physically beautiful, but when you knew her well, you soon realized that she was also beautiful on the inside. Barbara had a soft heart and an amazing innocence about her that she never lost. I sat at home this weekend trying to remember a time when I ever heard Aunt Barbara raise her voice in anger. I could not remember that ever happening in my presence.

She was a very gentle soul. My Mom had a dog, Chipper, that was absolutely adorable and quite the little con artist. He absolutely lived for the Thanksgiving and Christmas meals that brought Aunt Barbara to Mom’s house. You would see his excitement the minute she walked in the front door.

When meal time would roll around you didn’t have to wonder where to find Chipper. He would be right at Aunt Barbara’s side, his chin on her knee, being fed far too much turkey and ham by his “Christmas Angel.” I always sat next to Aunt Barbara and would remind her that we didn’t want to feed Chipper too much to make him sick. She would smile that sweet smile and say, “Oh, yes, I know” … right before another big bite of turkey breast would magically find it’s way into his mouth. There was no stopping her. She just couldn’t resist.

There are so many special memories from childhood with Aunt Barbara. Her pink pig cookie jar that I was obsessed with. Her cute little black patent leather flats with the rhinestones on the toes that have burned a memory into my brain. The time that she showed up to our house when I was about seven years old with a brand new snow white Grand Prix and asked if Laurie and I wanted to go for a ride. It was the coolest car I’d ever seen AND she let me sit in the front seat with her. The time that Maw Maw kicked us both out of the kitchen on Christmas Day because “if you’re not going to help, you need to get out of the kitchen.” (OK, I was about 25 at the time, but it was still hilarious). The way that she would give me opal earrings and tell me that she and I could wear them because they were OUR birthstone. It was bad luck for anyone to wear them that wasn’t born in October. It was our special thing. I will miss seeing her face light up with pride when she spoke about Grady. She had a lot to be proud of and she knew it.

I will miss listening to her and Mom giggling while talking about their teenage years and how Mom would fool Uncle Elton into thinking he was speaking with Aunt Barbara on the phone. She would cover her mouth, the way she always did, and dissolve into giggles. I always loved watching the two of them together. They were so different but just absolutely “got” each other and looked out for each other.

I’ll close by saying that we will certainly miss Aunt Barbara. She was very cool. I know she is in heaven with Uncle Elton, Darin and Maw Maw feeding Chipper whatever she wants to with no resistance whatsoever.