Barbara Shipes

Born April 27, 1936, Barbara was the eldest child born to Roger and Alma Greene. She had four brothers and two sisters. She is survived by Mary Jo G. Thomas (Audry), Martha G. Honeycutt (Dale), John E. Greene (Carol), and Robert E. Greene (Barbara). She was predeceased by Wendell and Tipton Greene.

Aunt Bobbie, as she was known, is survived by her nieces and nephews: Becky G. Carter, Ashley G. Sumter, Allison G. Gentry, M. Tipton G. Dillingham; Caroline G. Krueger and William Wendell Greene; Andrew C. Thomas, Amy T. Coleman, Audra Thomas and Tara Thomas; David Gibson; Andrew Greene, Stephanie G. Perron; Alan Greene, Emily G. Cowan, and Richard Greene.

At the age of seventeen Barbara entered college at Appalachian State Teachers College in Boone, North Carolina. She became a prominent member of the school with her name on the roster of every major club on campus and excelled on the girls' swim team. After only three years, Barbara graduated with a double major in math and science. Her memories of Appalachian were of friends, Dr. Carpenter (a favorite professor), Friday night ten-cent movies, and thought provoking questions, which she often used and became known for throughout her teaching career. Barbara would eventually be awarded a lifetime membership to Tri Beta, The National Biological Honor Society.

Barbara accepted a National Science Foundation Grant from the University of Georgia to complete graduate work in the field of Botany, and earned her Master's degree in Education and Botany in 1960. She began her college teaching career at Augusta College. She loved her work there and made many life-long friends.

Moving frequently with her Army husband, Barbara continued her studies. While teaching at Hampton University, she earned her PhD at George Washington University, in Washington, DC and continued her work at H.U. until her retirement in 2012.

Barbara's hobbies were summer field work, traveling with her husband and often taking her nieces and nephews along on these adventures. She and her husband would eventually travel to fifteen different countries and every state in the U.S. but two.

Barbara was a member of the John Clayton Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society as well as an active member of St. George's Episcopal Church in Newport News, Virginia. She dearly loved her church and the Adult Sunday School Class that she taught there.

A memorial service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 29, 2020 at Trinity on the Hill United Methodist Church 1330 Monte Sano Ave, Augusta, GA 30904. Friends are encouraged to visit www.parklawn-woodfh.com to share memories and offer words of condolence with the family.

In her memory, donations may be made to:

St. George's Episcopal Church

15446 Warwick Blvd.

Newport News, VA 23608