Barbara Clarke

A lifelong Texan, born in Corpus Christi on the 27th of November 1930, she was reared in Gladewater and Longview. Barbara graduated from the Texas State College for Women in Denton in 1953. She moved to Odessa where she taught school and met her future husband, Kenneth. Barbara and Ken were married for 50 years, lived in West University Place, had three daughters and were longtime members of River Oaks Baptist Church where Barbara volunteered most notably as a member of the first school board when the church started the school. After their girls left for college, she spent many happy years teaching preschool at ROBS. After retiring, Barbara and Ken spent time traveling, especially to the UK and to their farm in Southwest Louisiana. More than anything, they enjoyed spending time with their grandchildren. In 2017 Barbara moved to Austin to be near her two older daughters. As she had throughout her life she easily made many new friends.

She was predeceased by her husband, Kenneth; and her sister, Nancy McBride and her husband William E. McBride of Dallas. She is survived by her daughters, Colette Clarke Torres and her husband George, Celia Zamadics and her husband Stephen; as well as her grandchildren, Zoe Zamadics and Ziggy Zamadics and his wife Amara of Austin; her niece and several nephews in the Dallas area, and a nephew and great-niece in Northern Virginia.

The family gathered for a private interment service on Sunday, the 22nd of October 2023, where Barbara was buried next to her beloved husband, Kenneth at Forest Park Westheimer in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions in Barbara’s honor be directed to The George C. Torres Endowed Graduate Fellowship at the University of Texas at Austin Steve Hicks School of Social Work http://links.utexas.edu/guyyag

Please visit Barbara’s online memorial tribute at GeoHLewis.com where fond memories and words of comfort and condolence may be shared electronically with her family.