Barbara Ann Stoltzfus

Barbara Ann Friesen Stoltzfus, formerly of Premont, Texas, was greeted into her loving Heavenly Father's open arms on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, at her daughter’s home in Castroville, Texas. She was born on December 27, 1933, to Herbert Philip Friesen and Olga Edna De Villier Friesen in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Barbara was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Premont, where, along with the First United Methodist Church of Falfurrias, she played the piano for over 20 years.

She has been reunited in Heaven with her husband of 61 years, Ralph William Stoltzfus; daughter, Debra Sue Redding; and parents, H. P. and Olga Friesen.

She is survived by her daughter, Kathy (Homero) Recio of Castroville; grandchildren, Melody (Jason) of Cibolo, Texas, Melina (Daniel) Padilla of McAllen, Texas, Lukas (Allie) Recio of Richardson, Texas, and Ceci Recio of Castroville; great-grandchildren, Noah and Aubrey Verner of Cibolo, Mateo Recio of Richardson and Luka Padilla of McAllen; and extended family members.

Barbara's most personally meaningful and fulfilling attribute was her faith. She loved "her" church and church family. There she formed many close and long-lasting friendships. She became very attached to each minister and his/her spouse and was very sad when they moved on to another church, only to become attached to the new minister and spouse.

Barbara had many and varied talents and interests. She was a gifted musician, largely self-taught. She was a very skilled seamstress and needleworker. Barbara was a good cook and baker. She loved reading. She studied the planets and stars with binoculars and a telescope. She loved wildlife, especially birds, which she loved studying and identifying.

Her main focus in life, though, was her family, who will miss her, but remember her with many wonderful memories.

A Funeral Service for Barbara will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, October 28, 2024, at the First United Methodist Church in Falfurrias, with visitation beginning at 9:30 a.m. A private family burial will be held at a later time where she will be laid to rest beside her husband at the Premont Cemetery.