Mrs. Babb, who had lived in Wichita Falls since 1954, was born in Celeste, Texas on September 24th 1925 to Renna Elizabeth Buchanan Jones and Caleb A. Jones. She graduated from Greenville, TX High School and Texas Women’s University. In 1950 she married Barney B. Babb of Greenville. They moved to Wichita Falls in 1954. He passed away in November of 1993.
As a college journalism major, she followed a career as a newspaper writer and editor, a free-lance writer and in the public relations field. She has been published in the Associated Press, Family Circle and Texas Highways magazines and won numerous writing awards from the AP and Texas.
In Wichita Falls she began work on the Women’s staff of the Times and Record News in 1954. She worked there intermittently and became the women’s editor from 1977 to 1980, then she took a job as public relations and fund raising supervisor for the North Texas Rehab Center until her retirement in 1990.
Mrs. Babb was active on various committees at the First United Methodist Church and the Wichita Falls Symphony League. She also was a long-time volunteer for the Rehab Center after retirement.
Survivors include her son, Barney (Buz) Babb, Jr. and his wife Denise of Sanger, TX; daughter, Becky Kinder and her husband, Kevin Kinder of Walters, OK; five grandchildren, Jeffrey Babb and wife Erin of Dallas, TX, Susan Babb Tercero and her husband Napoleon of Tarrytown, NY; Rachel Babb Whitmore and husband, Nathan of Denton, TX; Kody Kinder and his wife Ashley of Walters, OK; and Garet Kinder of Elk City, OK; seven great grandchildren, August Babb, Loretta Babb, Gabriel Tercero, Noemi Tercero, Aurora Whitmore, Kahne Kinder and Kolbie Ann Kinder.
In addition to her husband, she is preceded in death by her parents; two brothers and sistein laws; Bob and Margaret Jones, Dr. David Jones and Annie Mary Jones.
The family suggests that any desired memorials be made to First United Methodist Church or the North Texas Rehab Center.
A graveside service for family and friends at Hampton Vaughan Crestview Memorial Park will be held at 2 PM Thursday December 24, 2020.
