Bill Ray Barbre

Bill Ray Barbre, age 83 of Moore, OK passed from this life on August 30, 2019. Services have been entrusted to the care of Advantage Funeral & Cremation Services located at 7720 S. Pennsylvania Ave. in Oklahoma City. A public visitation will be held at the funeral home on Monday, Sept. 2, 2019 from 12-8pm, and a funeral service honoring his life will take place at 2pm on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2019 at St. John’s Lutheran Church located at 1032 NW 12th St. in Moore, OK.

Bill was born on November 4, 1935 in Holdenville, OK to Jesse and Lucille (Story) Barbre. He attended Kite Schools near Sasakwa, OK before graduating from Wewoka High School. After graduation he traveled some before returning to Oklahoma City where he went to Blackwood Business School. It was there that he met the love of his life, Helen Karen Torkelson, and the two were married in 1958. Together they raised four children: Terry, Helen, Kelly and Paul.

Bill worked as office help at Southern Coffee & Restaurant Supply until the mid-60s when he went to work for Western Electric, later known as AT&T and finally Lucent Technologies. It was here that he worked for over 30 years until his retirement in 1999. After retirement, Bill and Karen traveled the world together, including trips to Scandinavia, Belgium, Mexico, Venice and Rome. He was also an avid bowler and served as the captain of his St. John’s Lutheran Church bowling team. He only missed two or three Monday’s with the group in the 40 plus years that he bowled with them. He and Karen have been active members of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Moore since the early 70s. He was an elder of the church, taught Sunday school, was the evangelical chairman, and was also a member of the Stephen’s Ministry. After the May 20th tornado in 2013 he was also a part of the disaster relief team, doing all that he could to help people in need. He enjoyed exploring with his grandchildren and doing any activity that allowed him to be outdoors – especially camping at Keystone, Lake Thunderbird, Arbuckle Lake, and many lakes in Texas.

Bill will be remembered as a strong-willed, witty man with great appreciation of sarcasm, who was not afraid to share his political and religious beliefs. Above all else he cherished and loved his family. He will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers: Eddie and Kenneth Barbre; two sisters: Gretta Snider and Nancy Barbre; and one grandson, Anthony Gibbons.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Karen Barbre; children: Terry Barbre and wife Theresa, Helen Ellsperman and husband Mark, Kelly Gibbons and husband Joe, and Paul Barbre and wife Paula; grandchildren: Aaron Barbre and wife Rachael, Joshua Barbre, Khristi Nix and husband Ted, Michael Ellsperman and wife Kayla, Lynndi Cox and husband Ethan, Kylie Jennings and husband Brayden, Mary Gibbons, Joey Gibbons and Vincent Ciarlo; 8 great grandchildren: Liam, Lillian, Jackson, Brayden, Logan, Braxton, Rose and Ava; sisters: Mary Jo Moore, Rhea Parsons and Carol Sue Gammons; as well as numerous nieces, nephews and other family and friends.

The family would like to extend a sincere thank you to the wonderful staff of doctors and nurses at Oklahoma Heart Hospital South who gave Bill wonderful care during his time with them.

Condolences may be sent to the family via an online guestbook at Advantageokc.com.