- Date Of Birth: March 29, 1912
- Date Of Death: March 16, 2007
- State: Missouri
Barbara Frances Rhea was born in Purdy, Missouri, March 29, 1912 to James and Lela Rhea. She lived in Purdy with her parents and her younger brothers, Hal and Manford, most of her early days and graduated from Purdy High School and Monett Junior College. She was a bright and eager student, both then and for her whole life, encouraged by her father, Jim who bought her books and discussed politics and history with her. A story she liked to tell on herself from her early days goes as follows: she went to tell a favorite college teacher goodbye after graduation. “Barbara,” he said to her, “You will be alright if you ever learn that every day is not the Fourth of July.”
Barbara liked to tell us that she and Loren Baker were married on the bank holiday during the Depression, on March 11, 1933. Theirs was a long and happy marriage and their home offered warmth and support to their family, their neighbors and their friends. They were always kind and loving to one another and they shared their church work, their gardening and their hobbies.
They were wonderful parents to their two daughters, Ann and Jane, and the best of grandparents to Andrew, Leslie, Emily, Rhea Ann and Brian. They loved and respected their sons-in-law, Gary and Jerry. They loved living in Steelville where they could be close to Manford and Nancy and their children, Hal and Becky.
