Barbara Bobo Barksdale

Barbara Bobo Barksdale passed peacefully, surrounded by her loving family, to be in God’s loving arms on Thursday, December 5. We are comforted in knowing she has been reunited with her parents and so many friends and extended family in heaven.

 Barbara was born in 1934 in Fort Worth. She has always been a high achiever, graduating from high school at age 16 and from college at 20.

 Her sparkling gift of encouragement began in her youth when she was selected to be a cheerleader for her Arlington High Colts. She invested her entire life in cheering and encouraging those around her through serving her community and uplifting others.

 Barbara loved serving on the Board of the Arlington Salvation Army, where she volunteered at their Thrift Store. For years, she loved ringing the bell to raise money for the Salvation Army during the Christmas season, whether the temperature was 17 or 70. She was also a generous supporter in the years when she did not ring the bell.

 She also joined and served in leadership positions at the Junior League of Arlington and Arlington Woman’s Club, where she was a lifetime member, and the Arlington Civic League.

 One of her favorite volunteer positions was serving Thanksgiving dinner at First Baptist Church of Arlington.

 For years, Barbara enjoyed visiting with her “lunch bunch” friends from childhood, who gathered monthly and rotated among each other’s homes and restaurants. 

 Many times, she opened her home and backyard to welcome a community event such as the Easter Egg Hunts that attracted over 100 excited children.

 Barbara loved being around her friends in high school. She was also a gifted writer, serving as assistant business manager and writer for her high school newspaper, The Colt.

 Her positive attitude and popularity helped her be named an ASC Coronation Duchess and a member of the student council.

 Throughout her youth and college at TCU, she loved riding horses. One of her greatest thrills was riding in the Grand Entry Parade of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo.

 Barbara followed her newspaper instincts from high school and served on the staff of the TCU Skiff, the campus newspaper, during her senior year. She was also a member of the Sociae Social Club and TCU Press Club.

 She took great pride in cheering for the Horned Frogs football team because her uncle was the legendary coach, Dutch Meyer.

 Barbara’s career was equally impressive. She thoroughly loved being a flight attendant for Delta Air Lines and advanced to manage the Chicago region’s flight attendants for several years. 

 Barbara left the job when she married Frank Barksdale and later started her own Arlington-based travel agency, Metro Travel, in downtown. Ever the creative one, she earned a reputation for being exceptionally skilled at special event travel for corporations that included the Curtis Mathes Company. She arranged and personally escorted trips for top-selling TV dealers to exciting destinations such as Acapulco.

 Barbara’s passion for travel was cultivated mainly through her own experiences. Her father, renowned Arlington physician Dr. Zack Bobo, Jr., took the family to exciting destinations such as Hawaii, Alaska, Europe, Russia, the Amazon, the Orient, and the Holy Land.

 Barbara retired to concentrate on her family, real estate investments, and to volunteer in the community. 

 For many years, she received tremendous fulfillment as she interviewed graduating high school seniors from Arlington, Mansfield, and Rhome for the Dr. Zack Bobo, Jr. Scholarship program that helped send hundreds of students to Baylor University, continuing in the tradition started by her father. She cherished the opportunity to personally visit with the students and learn about their hopes for the future.

 Barbara adored her father and one of her greatest joys was being close to him throughout his life. She also cherished the time they spent together vacationing at their Rockport house.

 She often quoted her late father’s philosophy on life from Acts 20:35 – “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

 Even into this final year of her life, Barbara lived Dr. Bobo’s invitation to “Keep-a-Steppin.” She would frequently walk or stand for up to five hours per day with as much energy as the famed Energizer Bunny.

 Barbara was a talented singer throughout her life, from singing in the high school choir to singing her favorite traditional hymns. She stunned others with her beautiful singing voice.

 In her final years, Barbara’s green thumb led her to grow an impressive garden at her home, cultivating her cherry tomatoes, Meyer lemons, limes, and even miniature sweet corn. She adored colorful flowers, particularly the sunflowers that reminded her of Dr. Bobo and anything purple that brought fond memories of her days at TCU.

 Barbara had the gift of hospitality. For over a dozen years, she opened the former office of Dr. Bobo at the corner of Center and 2nd Street and invited friends and neighbors to sit on the front lawn for a close-up view of the Arlington 4th of July Parade as they enjoyed her lemonade and snacks. For more years than she could imagine, she hosted Arlington luminary Alan Saxe as he provided audio commentary of the parade over a public address system.

 Barbara has loved animals throughout her life, and most recently, she has been adored by her loving cats and her dog, Doc, whom she named after her father.

 Two of her most memorable birthdays captivated her. She celebrated her 80th when a family friend treated her to a suite for a Texas Rangers baseball game. During the pre-game ceremonies, she enjoyed a golf cart ride around the field, a memory she cherished. 

 The other fun birthday occurred two years ago when her daughter and son arranged for a miniature horse and miniature cow to visit her in her front yard, reflecting her love for animals.

 Even as Barbara’s mind slowly faded, her warm smile and positive attitude always showed how much she loved her family and friends.

Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. Zack Bobo, Jr., and Ruth Bobo. She was a devoted and nurturing mother. Barbara is survived by her son Zack, his wife Lora, her daughter Rebecca, and her fiancée John Fletcher, who live in Arlington. She is also survived by many wonderful cousins, extended family, and friends.

The family will receive visitors at Wade Family Funeral Home in Arlington from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 17. The celebration of life will take place at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 18, at First Baptist Church of Arlington, with interment following at Parkdale Cemetery in Arlington.

 The family thanks the many caregivers who enriched Barbara’s life, including Denise Douglass, who lovingly cared for Barbara for four years. The family also thanks the caring hospice unit at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital and Community Hospice of Texas for their compassionate care and counseling.

 In lieu of flowers, the family asks friends to make contributions to Mission Arlington/Mission Metroplex or the Alzheimer’s Association.