Barbara Ann Roads

Mrs. Roads was born Barbara Ann Smith in 1950 on Christmas day, in Terre Haute, to Jesse and Helen Smith. She graduated from Honey Creek High School in 1968. After graduation Barbara worked at Indiana State University in the Home Economics Department for Dr. Marjorie Jerry. Barbara was employed at Union Hospital for 27 years. She retired as Director of Materials Management in 1997. She cared deeply for her hospital family and served as a mentor to many when they started there.

Barbara married Lee Roads on Christmas day in 1981. In the 1980’s and 90’s, they were known for hosting their annual Memorial Day Weekend pig roasts followed by race day at the Indianapolis 500. The trips to and from the track in Turner busses escorted by motorcycle police were legendary. After retirement, they divided their time between Terre Haute; New Port Richey, Florida; and Hamilton, Colorado. Lee died in 2012. From 2018 to 2021, she lived in Florida year round. There, she was an active member of the First Baptist Church of New Port Richey. She was also a member of the Gulf Harbors Yacht Club where she participated in many activities and charity events. Barbara also enjoyed her bowling league, gardening, kayaking, traveling and meeting new people. One of her favorite activities was mushroom hunting in the Indiana woods. She maintained that morels were the only mushrooms worth eating; all others were “toadstools.”

She leaves behind many friends, family, and loved ones including a daughter, Angela Leonard, and her husband, Christopher, of Longmont, Colorado; a sister, Brenda Church, of Cape Coral, Florida; a brother and sister-in-law, Gary and Janice Smith, of Terre Haute; a brother-in-law, Dr. Gary Farley and wife Karen of Glencoe, Missouri; five nieces and three nephews; many grand-nieces and nephews, and her dearest friends Shantha Aaron and Doug Smith. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents; and three siblings; Judy Crandall, Caroline Farley, and Sandra Smith.

Private services were held on March 24 at the Mountain View Cemetery in Boulder, Colorado.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cristmortuary.com for the ROADS family.