Barbara Elaine Ross

Barbara was born to Gladys and Douglas Brooks on December 13, 1953 in Freeport, TX.

Barbara married the love of her life Herbert L Ross Jr in Lake Jackson, TX on November 21, 1981.

Barbara graduated from Sam Houston State University in 1976 and worked at A.P. Beutel Elementary School for 33 years as a teacher.

As a young girl she loved to go to her grandparent’s farm in Arkansas where she would ride horses, play with her cousins and jump in the hay in the barn. She enjoyed being a cheerleader from 7th grade to 12th grade and graduated from Brazoswood High School in 1972. She enjoyed playing softball in those years as well.

After graduating from Sam Houston she started working as a teacher at A.P. Beutel teaching kindergarten. Later she moved to 3rd grade and then 1st grade. She was at A.P. Beutel Elementary School her entire teaching career. She loved the kids and thoroughly enjoyed teaching them.

After retiring from teaching in 2010, she, Herb and their dog Sopris traveled in a motorhome. She was always happiest when she got out of town and didn’t have anything to worry about. Barbara loved shopping for clothes and couldn’t resist a sale. Many of her friends often complimented her beauty which radiated from the inside out, not just the clothes. She went to the gym often but spent more time drinking coffee with her roundtable buddies than working out. Barbara loved people and enjoyed going out to eat and talking to friends. She told cute stories of her and Herb, and there were many of them, but she wouldn’t remember who she told which stories to so many of her friends learned the stories well. She was very passionate about her family and enjoyed gatherings with them especially during the holidays. Barbara's beautiful smile and outgoing personality will be missed. As many of her close friends said, “What I remember the most, and will always remember is her smile, her joy, and her happiness. I don’t believe I ever saw Barbara when she wasn’t smiling, and what a Beautiful Smile! The world was a better brighter place with Barbara, and I miss her already.”

Barbara is a member of the First Baptist Church in Lake Jackson. Her mother Gladys offered the following for us: “Don’t cry for me for I have gone on to a better place. Please the ones I leave behind. Make preparations to meet me with Jesus and there will be no sorrow there. God is good. He didn’t let me suffer.”

Barbara is preceded in death by her father Douglas Brooks.

Barbara is survived by her husband of 38 years Herb Ross; mother Gladys Brooks; sons Blake Ross, Greg (Carolyn) Ross, and Patrick Ross; grandsons Tanner Ross and River Griffith-Ross; aunts Carlene Wood and Audrey (Randy) Martin; uncle Eugene Collins of Arkansas; and many cousins, nieces and nephews in both Texas and Arkansas.

Current conditions do not allow a service befitting of Barbara. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

In Lieu of Flowers, donations can be made to National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) Gulf Coast, 2206 N. Gordon St, Alvin, TX 77511.