Barbara Brown Hempy

Barbara Brown Hempy went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Monday, November 9, 2026, at Pomona Valley Hospital. She was born on October 6, 1936, in Columbus, Georgia, and was raised in a close-knit Southern family. Barbara loved her family and never imagined venturing too far from the home she cherished. Yet, to the surprise of many, after graduating from Baker High School in 1954, she decided to make her way west.

She attended Azusa Pacific University, where she met the special man who would change the course of her life. Robert (Bob) Hempy was a senior at APU when he met the woman he knew he could not live without. Following an accelerated courtship, and with much perseverance and persuasion on Bob’s part, the two were married in 1956 in Columbus, Georgia.

Together, Barbara and Bob served as a pastoral couple for more than 50 years, ministering at Arrow Highway Wesleyan Church in Covina, Upland Brethren in Christ Church, and Solid Ground Church in Alta Loma. As an extension of their ministry, they also conducted marriage and family seminars, known as Lasting Love, throughout the United States and Canada.

While Bob often received the public recognition and accolades, their ministry would not have flourished without Barbara’s unwavering love, support, and devotion. She was the steady foundation of their family and an indispensable partner in their life of ministry. Her quiet strength and faithful commitment touched countless lives.

Barbara is survived by her four children: Beverly and her husband, David Ryan, of Colorado; Brad and his wife, Cheryl, of Santa Barbara; Byron and his wife, Karen, of Florida; and Brett of Alta Loma.

She also leaves behind ten grandchildren: Todd (wife, Megan), Lisa (husband, Shaun) Lori, Kristin, Scott (wife, Kylie), Kevin (wife, Dana), Matthew, Grant, Joshua, and Kaitlyn; and twelve great-grandchildren: Taylor, Dylan, Rhett, Beau, Logan, Ava, Brooklyn, Henry, Jack, Ellie, Aayon, and Ajayla.

Among her loved ones in Columbus, Georgia, are her sister-in-law, Frankie Brown, and Frankie’s children, Sheri McVay and her husband, Jamie, and Christy Jones and her husband, Bill.

Barbara’s life was a testament to faith, love, devotion, and family. Her legacy lives on through the generations she nurtured, the lives she touched, and the ministry she faithfully shared alongside Bob. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who knew her.