Dorothy "Shug" Jane Barbaree

Dorothy Jane (Craig) Barbaree was born on July 22nd, 1937 in Tahlequah, OK, the daughter of Ben and Peggy (Spade) Craig. She grew up in a household with four sisters and one brother, Betty, Wonnie, Spencer, Henrietta and Betty. She attended and graduated from Sequoyah High School and then attended school in St Louis to become a Registered Laboratory Technician. In 1967, she met and married her best friend, James Eugene Barbaree, or Jim to his family and friends. Together they would raise a family of one daughter and two sons, Vickie, Larry and Steve. The family moved to Tulsa and here Dorothy worked at Oklahoma Osteopathic Hospital, what is now OSU Medical Center, for over 30 years. Her husband worked as an Inspector for the Oil Industry and the family relocated to Saudi Arabia for the next nine years from 1981 until 1990. This suited Dorothy just fine as she loved to travel and discover new cultures. She traveled to Africa, Thailand and all over the continental United States of America. When she was at home, she liked to go to the kitchen and make her famous banana but bread or pineapple upside down cake. She liked being outdoors, working in her flower and vegetable gardens. Dorothy could sew and quilt all day, and did so at times. She always had a smile to show her clients, family and friends. There was an occasional ornery streak, but always with a good sense of humor. Any time with her grandkids was paradise to Dorothy, she was their biggest fan. Her husband Jim passed in 2013, so Dorothy moved closer to her family and enjoyed herself immensely. Her health began to fail her and she passed from this life on February 10th, 2022 at her home surrounded by those she loved. She was 84 years old.

She is preceded in death by her grandparents, Mother and Father, one sister, Betty Keller, and her husband Jim.

Those left to cherish her memory include her children, Vickie Carter, and Larry Gleitz and wife Bernice both of Tahlequah, OK and Steve Gleitz and wife Joanna of Coweta, OK. She leaves her brother and three sisters, Wonnie Ingram and husband Junior of Eldon, OK, Spencer Craig and wife Jessie of Eldon, OK, Henrietta Brannon of Tulsa, and Betty Spade also of Tulsa, OK. She lives on in her 11 grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends and loved ones too numerous to mention.

Funeral services for Dorothy Jane (Craig) Barbaree will be held on Wednesday, February 16th, 2022 at 11:00 AM with Pastor DJ McCarter officiating. Her family will receive visitors on Tuesday beginning at 12:00 PM until 5:00 PM at Reed-Culver Funeral Home. She will be laid to rest at Shirley Cemetery near Eldon Community, OK. Pallbearers for Dorothy include Larry Paul Blackman, Dick Ingram, Timmy Ingram, Will Craig and Larry Jr. Online condolences for the family may be left at reedculver.com.