Barbara Ann (Maddox) Stone

Beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Barbara Ann Stone, passed from this life on April 10, 2023, surrounded by her family.

She was born September 15, 1938, in the home of William and Mabel Maddox, in the small town of Hobart, Oklahoma.

Growing up, her family leased Indian land to cotton farm closer to Mountain View, Oklahoma.  If you asked her how to get there, she would reply: “Now, from Mountain View, you drive 7 miles south, turn right and go 3 miles west. We lived on the north side of the road, and our house was next to Sugar Creek.” They cotton farmed and had a small farm with all the farm animals. In reflection of one of her childhood stories, she spoke of milking their cow Pat, and how she could make that cow’s milk “Sing on the side of the pale”, and “Could squirt you across the barn a good-ways.”

Barbara was a true believer in Jesus Christ and the Word of God. As a young mother, she won many awards at her home church of Deliverance Temple for bringing the most kids to church. She taught Sunday school and led the singing many times in church. She helped clear and mow the lot beside the fire department under the trees to have church, when we didn’t have a church in LakeCrest.  She helped set and level the LakeCrest House of Prayer Church with Brother Jim, her name remains currently at the location on the cement pad poured by the old steps to the church. She loves and believes in the Trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Barbara worked for McDonald Douglas, as an overhead crane operator in Tulsa for over 20 years. The job was a highly demanding and put nerves of steel to the test, and also required a delicate touch on the crane controls.  Perched three stories high every day in the cab of her crane, it towered over the workspace and was capable of moving the entire width and breadth of the building. Her job was extremely dangerous. She was tasked with moving anything in the plant that required airtime. She would lift newly completed multi-million-dollar F-15 fuselages into the air to take them out of the building for shipping.  Everyone in the plant recognized her transporting the newly built plane during its “first flight.” Workers all over the plant would say “Barbara’s taking another one for its first flight!” Even when high level CEOs visited the plant floor, workers would joke “Barbara’s over all of them!”

Barbara was one of the most giving people you would ever meet. If you asked of her, she would give 10-fold of what you asked for. If you needed a place to stay, her home was always open to those less fortunate. She was one of the hardest working and most capable woman, she could drive a 16-penny nail as fast as any man, left-handed!

The bond between Barbara and her grandchildren and great grandchildren was a bond that defined who they are. Grannie’s house was an enchanting world full of snacks and outside play until dark with a vegetable garden, flowers, tall trees and a swing set.  The love Barbara had for her grandchildren and great grandchildren was endless. Holidays, birthdays, and reunions were packed with family and lots of the best home cooking.  Barbara helped name her first Granddaughter and Grandson.  Jennifer can still hear how her Granny would sing the song that she made up with Jennifer and Jason’s names. Barbara helped teach her grandchildren to cook, clean, mow the yard, rake and burn the leaves. She also taught them how to care for her farm animals and collect eggs from the chickens.  Barbara will be dearly missed by all of them, but if they look at each other hard enough, they will see her in each other.  Whether it’s Barbara’s affection, kindness, her laugh, or the way she would whistle and sing, or her looks and smile.  And oh! How her smile will be forever in their memories.

Today, Barbara if you will, is humbly over us all again, in the great crane in the sky, with her Angel wings this time. Patiently waiting for us all to meet her up there in Heaven, where she can take us the full width and breadth of our new heavenly home with her and all our other loved ones that are there as well.

Barbara is preceded in death by her loving family:

 William Franklin Maddox, Mabel Lorraine Maddox, Billy Joe Maddox, Kenneth Crettington Maddox, Cassie Marie Sharp, Donald Richard Maddox, Leora Jean Johnson, Ada Mae Kiddy, Nellie Jerene Hill and David Franklin Maddox.

Left behind to cherish her memory are children:

Kathy Ann Pringle, Linda Sue Anderson, Bonnie Jean Fennell, Jerry Dean Pringle Sr. and Cecil Don Stone

Grandchildren:

Jason Trayal, Jennifer Ward, Kesha Mason, Erica Garrett, Ronnie Anderson, Joshua Fennel, Amber Rene Ayesh, and Jerry Pringle II.

Great Grandchildren:

Daphne Butler, Caleb Smith, Sharlett Smith, Lynnea Taff, Lennon Ward, Laurelynn Ward, Maddison McCarty, and Spenser Ayesh.

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