Barbara Womble Inman

Barbara Womble Inman, 93, passed away peacefully from natural causes on September 5th. She is survived by her daughter Barbee Inman Whitaker (William Bundren) of Annapolis, her son Richard Inman (Gail) of Edgewater, seven grandchildren, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband of 64 years, Richard Pearson (Dick), in December 2015.

Barbara was born November 24, 1927, in Raleigh, North Carolina, the daughter of Katherine Smith Womble and William Brantley Womble. She was raised in Durham just a few blocks from Duke University. Barbara was a Junior State Tennis Champion for North Carolina. She graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts in English in 1950. She met Midshipman Dick Inman on a blind date to play doubles tennis. In June 1951, they were married and began the life of a Navy family, crossing the country at every opportunity (sometimes alone with her dog) and living in Boston, Monterey, Seattle, San Diego, Norfolk, and Long Beach, before finally settling down in Annapolis in 1964.

Barbara may be best known as the owner and proprietor of The Gourmet’s Cup coffee, tea and imported foods shop in West Annapolis for over twenty years. Locals knew to stop by for a cup of coffee and sit in the rocking chairs on the front porch, long before a west coast coffee chain invaded Annapolis.

Active in many local organizations, Barbara was a member of, and at times president of, the USNA Garden Club, USNA Women’s Club, and USNA Gourmet Club. She loved nature and gardening and, with her husband Dick, became an Anne Arundel County Master Gardener and provided advice to homeowners at county farmers’ markets. Barbara was also an avid dog lover, having shown champion Welsh Terriers in her youth. She was a long-time member of Trinity United Methodist Church. Barbara was an accomplished and creative arranger of altar flowers and served both Trinity United Methodist Church and the US Naval Academy Chapel in this way for many years.

Funeral services will be held at the US Naval Academy Chapel at 2:00 PM on November 3rd, followed by a private inurnment at the Naval Academy columbarium, where she will finally be reunited with the love of her life.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Barbara’s memory to the National Audubon Society (https://www.audubon.org/), in recognition of the joy that watching birds of all kinds brought to her throughout her life.