Gwendolyn Ann Tart

Gwendolyn Ann (Barras) Tart died January 27, 2024 holding her husband, Jim’s, hand. She was born September 15, 1942 in New Iberia, Louisiana, to Florence Ann and Rudolph Antoine Barras. Fortunately for her, she was the first child and grandchild on both sides of the family - she later claimed she didn’t learn to walk, as someone always wanted to carry her. She was followed by seven more brothers and sisters (Linda, Debbie, Sybil, Steve, Randy and Myra) and was given special permission by the Church to be her sister Sybil’s Godmother.

She attended New Iberia High School where she as elected Homecoming Queen as a sophomore, and later as Miss Iberia. She attended LSU, where she was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority. After graduation, she moved to Dallas, and eventually ended up at Neiman Marcus Downtown, where she worked in the Couture Department.

She made friends quickly, and was soon joining groups of them on ski trips to Colorado. She also traveled to France and Corsica to visit family friends. During this time, she met and married James Stuart Tart with whom she expanded her travel plans to London, Carmel, Hawaii, New York and many other exciting places. As she approached retirement, she re-started her career as an artist, painting in the Ann Cushing Ganz atelier. She sold as many of her oil paintings as she chose to, gave many to friends, and hung the rest at home.

A funeral service for Gwen will take place on February 3, 2024, at Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home, 7405 Northwest Highway, Dallas, Texas 75225. A visitation will be at 1:00pm, the funeral to follow at 2:00pm, and burial at 3:00pm, a reception to follow. Rather than sending flowers, please make a donation to a favorite charity in her name.