Barbara Bewley

Barbara Gudgen Bewley went to meet her heavenly father on August 19, 2020. There was a glorious reunion with her parents, Prentice E. & Gretta H. Gudgen, her husband John R. Bewley, her brothers Prentice Gudgen, Jr. and Richard “Dick” Gudgen, her grandson Ted Richard Bewley and many other friends and relatives.

Barbara was born March 15, 1935 in Pittsburg, Kansas. She was the oldest of four children. She won the title of Little Miss Pittsburg 1939, graduated first in her high school class and was Homecoming Queen at Pittsburg State University. She lived there until she married on June 2, 1955 when she moved to New Orleans, LA for one year and then moved to Lake Charles, LA in 1956. She and John attended First Baptist Church, Lake Charles. Barbara attended Pittsburg State University for 2 years and graduated from McNeese St. University with a degree in home economics. She did her graduate work at LSU. Both Rick and Jan were born while living in Lake Charles.

In 1964, the family moved to Jackson, MS. Barbara worked for the State Welfare Department (currently known as the Department of Human Services) for 33 years before retiring. She was the Director of Public Assistance. She flunked retirement and went to work for FEMA for 12 years where she traveled around the country following natural disasters. In 2002, she retired again and became a volunteer for 17 years at St. Dominic Hospital and was awarded their Volunteer of the Year in 2016. Jay was born while living in Jackson.

Barbara loved antiques. You could find her on many weekends at the Jackson flea market as well as all antique shows and auctions. She refinished many pieces of antique furniture that can be found in her home as well as that of her children. She was also a whiz on the sewing machine. She made braided rugs, t-shirt quilts for her grandchildren, and made many of the fancy coat jackets that John wore during his entertaining years. Barbara also enjoyed playing bunco and bridge, working jigsaw puzzles, was a member of the DAR and absolutely loved to travel. She has been on all 7 continents, to 84 different countries, and actually driven in all 50 states. She shared her love of travel with her family by offering to take each grandchild on a trip of their choice to anywhere in the world. Barbara also enjoyed working in her yard and could be found mowing her own grass up until 2 years ago. She even won an Honorable Mention for her neighborhood Yard of the Month. She was a long-term member of Broadmoor Baptist Church.

Barbara is survived by her sister, Mimi Gudgen-Chapman; her 3 children, Rick Bewley (spouse Sharon Robinson Bewley), Jan Bewley Woodson (spouse David Michael “Mike”Woodson), and Jay Everett Bewley (spouse Rebecca Hanna Bewley); 7 grandchildren, Stacy Bewley May (spouse Corey May), Jessica Bewley, Jared Bewley, Davis Woodson, Johnna Woodson, Hanna Bewley and Haven Bewley; and 1 great-grandchild, Joshua May.

Services will be held at Griffith Memorial Baptist Church in Jackson, MS on Saturday, August 22 at 10:00 am.

In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to your favorite charity.