Barbara Thresia Bingham

Our Lord took Barbara Thresia Bingham home to Him on Monday, October 20, 2025, from the ER at Antelope Valley Hospital at the age of 87 years old. Barbara was born to Ayria Flake and Irene (Orsot) Flake on September 5, 1938, in Houston, Texas. She was the middle child of two sisters, older Andrea (Flake) Simpleman, who she called Cynthia, and younger Doris M. Flake, and two brothers, older Joseph S. Flake, who she called Stanley, and younger Anthony G. Petrie. They all precede her in death.

Barbara was raised by her grandmother, whom she called Mommie. Her grandmother enrolled her and all her siblings in the Catholic School nearby, St. Nicholas Church and Catholic School, grades first to high school.

Barbara suffered from severe asthma most of her life. She wasn’t’ allowed to do many physical activities. She was determined to work at strengthening her lungs by exercising in bed, getting up extra early to walk to school, and riding the bicycle occasionally, resting a lot to catch her breath. She even stood up to bullies ready to punch them. However, Barbara was so impressed by the nuns who taught at St. Nicholas and her older sister, who became a nun, and this life of service to others, that she went onto college at Texas Southern University to become a part-time educator. She attended Texas Southern University for two years while helping to care for her aunt and uncle. She worked in retail stores and the US Post Office in Houston, TX and joined the local Christian Choral Group.

Five years after she graduated from high school, Earnest Bingham came for a visit. He had also gone to the same Catholic school as Barbara, but he had been a year ahead of her and had different friends. Earnest had gone into the Air Force right after high school.

They ended up talking until 3am in the morning and then began dating. They married on June 24, 1967, in Houston, Texas. After returning to Germany, he prepared a rented home before sending for his new bride to accompany him there. She was a devoted wife and homemaker to him throughout the rest of his military career, his civilian career and his retirement. Barbara loved to sew her own clothes and grow her own vegetables. They did not have natural children of their own, however they touched many, many young lives, helping them along the way, and being part of a few of their lives by becoming godparents and uncle and aunt to them, lavishing gifts and love and even babysitting their godchild Brandon Martinez from time to time.

While her husband was in the Air Force, she got to travel to many places in the world, the coldest being North Dakota and the hottest being Edwards AFB, California. Ernie and Barbara had settled in California City, CA in 1975 where they remained until they passed. Because California City did not have a Catholic church to worship at that time, they started out attending Mass in Boron at St. Joseph Catholic Mission and then attended Mass at the Community Church in California City until Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church was built. She volunteered and served in various ministries within the Church--the Altar Society, the Choir, and a Lady of the Knights of the Columbus. Barbara and Ernie also signed up and worked for the Kern County Election Board at the election site in California City. When her husband retired from civil service in 2001 and he became the Knights of Columbus’ Marshall for the Center District they were able to travel even more. He loved to show and take “my Love” to new places, especially in the RV trailer they had gotten and used on many special occasions such as their anniversaries in Las Vegas, Nevada or fundraising events at Valleyermo, CA among many other places. They were inseparable by this time.

She is survived by many nephews and nieces through her in-laws and her brother.

There is no viewing. Funeral Mass held at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 9970 California City Blvd, California City, CA at 10:00am, Wednesday, November 19, with the Knights of Columbus, Assembly 73, attending the Mass along with Knights of Columbus, Council 6705.

Reception with potluck and Celebration of Barbara’s life to be held after the Mass at the Our Lady of Lourdes Hall.

Barbara’s ashes will be laid to rest on Monday, November 24, 11:15am at the Riverside National Cemetery next to Earnest D. Bingham, at 22495 Van Buren Boulevard, Riverside, CA 92518.

Please send flowers to Joshua Mortuary at 808 East Lancaster Blvd, Lancaster, CA 93535. Please send written condolences to Barbara and family c/o Our Lady of Lourdes. Funeral arrangements have been made with Joshua Memorial Park and Cemetery. They have been a Godsend to Earnest and Barbara. We thank and are very grateful to everyone, who has been a part of or has contributed to Barbara’s life and her journey home to Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and Almighty God forever and ever. Amen.