Barbara Colvin's Obituary
Barbara Lou Foster Colvin passed away at the age of 88 on November 25, 2014 after a long battle with breast cancer. She was born in Knoxville, Tennessee to Ferris Underwood Foster and Lavinia Noreen Tooker Foster and grew up in Cookeville. “Bobby” was the middle child of five and a bit of a tomboy. She was athletic and loved sports, especially basketball, and fishing with her younger brother. During her childhood she learned to play bridge at age 13 often serving as a stand-in for her parent’s bridge parties when someone was late or didn’t show. Born to two teachers Barbara knew the value of education. She received her undergrad degree at Tennessee Polytechnic Institute in her hometown and graduated with her Master of Arts in Education from George Peabody College in Nashville while married and having two sons. In 1961 she moved to Georgia where she met the love of her life Ray Colvin, army captain. Barbara was teaching school where Ray was stationed at Ft. Benning. She had been accepted by the State Department to teach in France for the coming year. Ray convinced her to marry him on Good Friday April 20, 1962 with the promise that he would take her to Europe. It took 26 years for them to make their first of many trips overseas traveling all over the world. They had three daughters, Cynthia Lou, Catherine Mary and Diana Barbara. They eventually moved to Dallas and Barbara went to work as a buyer for Drug Emporium, retiring after 20 years. During the past year after her cancer returned she was determined to live life to the fullest. Her days were devoted to three ‘B’s – bridge, books and basketball. Barbara was a member of four bridge clubs often hosting parties in her home using her best china, silver and crystal. She watched every Dallas Mavericks game on television discussing her favorite players with her grandchildren. She was a voracious reader with an immense library and usually would read several hundred books a year and often two to three books at a time. She lost her battle but never ceased to live as Frank Sinatra sang, “I did it my way!” Barbara was preceded in death by her two sisters, Jeanne and Dorothy, brother ‘Fisto’, husband Ray Colvin and son Patrick Pangle. Survivors include her sister, Kay Greenwood of Cookeville, son Charles Pangle of Augusta, GA and daughters Cynthia Richter and Catherine Coelho of Austin, TX and Diana Colvin of Garland, TX and 8 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. The memorial service for Barbara Colvin will be held on Saturday, November 29, 2014 at 3:00 PM in The Wildwood Chapel at Restland Funeral Home. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Restland Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 13005 Greenville Avenue, at Restland Road, Dallas, TX 75243. Memorials can be made to American Cancer Society, PO Box 22718 Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718.
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