Barbara Nethery

Barbara Ann Upchurch Nethery, 86, passed away on Saturday, April 26, 2025, with her family by her side. Barbara was born at Lillie-Duke Hospital in Goose Creek, Texas, on May 11, 1938, to Clifford R. Upchurch and Bernice Sanders Upchurch.

A lifelong resident of Baytown, Barbara attended Ashbel Smith Elementary, Horace Mann Junior High and Robert E. Lee High School, where she was active in the band and choir. She remained close with many classmates from the REL Class of 1956 throughout her life. Barbara attended Lee College and then Baylor University. While at Baylor, Barbara served as a residence hall advisor and president of her dorm council. Although an unexpected illness necessitated her return home just one semester short of graduation, Barbara remained an enthusiastic Baylor fan for life.

Barbara began work with Humble Oil & Refining Company while studying at Lee College and rejoined the company upon returning from Baylor. Not long after that, Barbara was introduced to a young engineer, Bill Nethery, who had recently graduated from Louisiana State University and moved to Baytown to work at the Baytown Refinery. After a two-year courtship, Barbara and Bill were married at Memorial Baptist Church on November 24, 1962. They made a home and started their family in Baytown, enjoying life with many other young professional families in the fast-growing suburb of Houston.

Barbara and Bill’s life together included many adventures, not the least of which was a two-year assignment with Esso in Marsa el-Brega, Libya, on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa. Barbara readily rose to the challenge of running a home with two small children in a foreign land. She and Bill formed many good friendships among the ex-pat community and made the most of their opportunities to travel while living abroad.

Barbara’s early career with Humble Oil included positions in the Baytown Refinery as well as company headquarters in downtown Houston. After taking time away to focus on raising her family, Barbara tried her hand at real estate sales before returning to work with Exxon for several more years in the Baytown “White House” and the Baytown Technology & Engineering Complex, with roles in Human Resources, Technology Licensing and Engineering Services. She and Bill both retired from Exxon in 1996.

Barbara was an active member of Memorial Baptist Church from the cradle roll until her death. She contributed freely of her time and resources in supporting various church ministries, and it would be difficult to name an area of the church that Barbara didn’t impact in one way or another over her lifetime. Whether chaperoning youth choir tours, teaching Sunday School or VBS, ringing handbells or singing in the choir, leading children in scripture memory or Bible drill, or serving on key committees, Barbara loved her church and her church family and was never content just to sit in the pew.

Among her many gifts, Barbara was a talented pianist, a great seamstress and a wonderful cook. As a young woman, she enjoyed playing recreational sports, including tennis, volleyball and golf. She appreciated a good game of bridge, and she and Bill were part of a dinner bridge club with dear friends from church for many years. After retirement from Exxon, Barbara was active in the Goose Creek Country Club Ladies Association and Baytown Thursday Forum. Barbara and Bill shared a love of travel and throughout their years together enjoyed many wonderful trips exploring North America as well as Europe, the Middle East, and Japan.

Barbara’s family was of paramount importance in her life. Bill was the love of her life and her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were the apple of her eye. She actively supported her children and grandchildren in their many school and extracurricular activities. She was a “high-tech Granny” who diligently kept up with her family’s interests and achievements through social media, text messages and FaceTime. Barbara made a point of reaching out regularly to be sure each member of her family knew she was thinking about them no matter how near or far away they might be.

Barbara was preceded in death by her parents and her brothers, Billy Paul Upchurch and Raymond Glenn Upchurch. She is survived by her husband of more than 62 years, William B. (Bill) Nethery, Jr.; her son and daughter-in-law, Bryan and Stacey Nethery; her daughter and son-in-law, Susan and Mason Hogan; her grandchildren Taylor and Ashley Nethery, Collin and Elizabeth Nethery, Cody Nethery, William Hogan, Caroline Hogan, and Paige Hogan; great-granddaughters Reed, Avery, and Hadley Nethery, and another great-granddaughter expected in July; and many cousins and other extended family.

Barbara’s faith in Christ was the firm foundation on which she built her life on earth, and we rejoice that she has now passed from death into life everlasting with Him in Heaven. A memorial service celebrating Barbara’s life will be held on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at Memorial Baptist Church, 600 W. Sterling, Baytown, Texas. The family will receive visitors beginning at 10 a.m. and the service will begin at11 a.m., with Rev. Randy Piatt officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Memorial Baptist Church or Love Network of Baytown.