Barbara Sprague DuBois Reidy, 71, of Nebo, NC passed away on November 18, 2024 after a recent illness.
Barbara was born in Tulsa, OK on November 8, 1953, to Ralph Larue DuBois and Charlotte Sprague DuBois. She attended Tulsa Memorial High School and later graduated from The John F. Kennedy School in Querétaro, Mexico. She graduated with the distinctive claim of being both valedictorian of her class and in the entire top third of her graduating class, due to being in a class of three students. She then attended the La Universidad de Las Americas. After spending time in San Miguel, she returned to the Tulsa area, where she worked as a bookkeeper and remained active at St. John’s Episcopal Church, which her godfather designed and where her parents were charter members.
Her longest career was one of stay-at-home mom, a title she could have submitted for the Guiness Book of World Records as she claimed her position for many years after her children were grown. She was extremely active in volunteer activities related to her family, including as a Camp Fire Boys & Girls leader and Camp Okiwanee’s outdoor living skills director and holding every possible role with the parent volunteer organizations with Sapulpa Public Schools. She was a third-generation member and former chapter regent for the Daughters of the American Revolution as well as a member and later local, state and national senior leader in the Children of the American Revolution. She was a longtime member of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants and served as the Oklahoma society’s treasurer. At one point she served as an officer for a women’s Corvette club despite never owning, let alone having driven, a Corvette, much to the amusement of her family.
After retiring to North Carolina, she enjoyed spending time as a resident along Lake James. She served as Treasurer of the Queen City Republicans, served several years on the Camp Lake James neighborhood association and was an active member of the Newcomers and Friends in McDowell County.
Barbara will be remembered for her tremendous homemaking skills, especially cross-stitching, cooking and perfectly executing holiday meals and family reunions. Her family will miss her infectious laugh that often ended in her (and sometimes our) tears, her uncanny ability to mispronounce words, her zest for road trips, her warmth in making sure everyone she met was treated with the best hospitality and her ability to come up with the best crafts, projects and camping activities. She was the original Pinterest.
Barbara is preceded in death by her parents, stepfather Ernest L. “Roy” Dickerson, great aunts Betty June Dove and Marjorie DuBois and brothers-in-law Frank Hooks, James Lewallen and John Reidy.
Barbara is survived by her husband of 41 years, Jerry Joseph Reidy, her daughter Sarah Reidy-Jones (Chris Jones) of Charlotte and son Patrick (Michelle) of Wake Forest and her three grandchildren Ethan Jones and Bailey and Parker Reidy. She is survived by sisters Susan Hildenbrand (Paul) of Tulsa and Patricia “Patsy” DuBois of San Miguel de Allende. She is also survived by brother-in-law James, sisters-in-law Janice Hooks, Jeannie Lewallen, Joan Reidy, Judy Doughty (Lynn) and nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews in all corners of the country. Barbara was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She was very supportive of her children’s activities and was a supporter of all their accomplishments in their professional lives, often driving across the country to help them with their various activities.
A memorial service will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Tulsa at 1:00PM on Friday, January 24, with a reception to immediately follow.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Seven Homes foster care program at www.7homes.org.
