Barbara Brown

Barbara Jo (Miller) Brown, 79, of Peoria passed peacefully from this life and into the splendor of Heaven August 4, 2019, after a courageous battle with Parkinson’s Disease.  A celebration of life will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, August 18, 2019, at First Baptist Church, Hillsboro with Rev. Eddie Booth officiating. Visitation will follow in the fellowship hall.  Marshall & Marshall Funeral Directors in Hillsboro are in charge of arrangements.

Barbara was born September 28, 1939, in the small community of Menlow (near Abbott) to William Troy “Jack” Miller, Sr. and Mildred (White) Miller.  She attended school in Aquilla where she lived until she married the love of her life Paul Donald Brown on June 21, 1957, at the First Baptist Church in Aquilla.  As an Army wife, Barbara was accustomed to “holding down the fort” while Paul was away proudly serving his country.  Barbara joked often about their twenty-one moves in the first twenty years of marriage.

After returning from Paul’s assignment in Friendswood in 1977, they purchased the 4B Trading Post in Peoria where she enjoyed cooking and serving the community. In 1980, they settled into their farmhouse in Peoria where she and Paul would spend countless hours spoiling their grandchildren & great-grandchildren. She could always be seen next to Paul in the bleachers at each of their events cheering them on. She was “Granny” to many. As the grandkids grew, she and Paul enjoyed creating and selling custom coat hanger Christmas Trees and wreaths.

Barbara was a charter member of the Peoria Volunteer Fire Department where she served on the Ladies Auxiliary and a charter member of the Peoria Community Center restoration efforts.

In the later years of her life, if she was not eating grilled cheese at Whataburger or fried squash at R&K, she was more than likely collecting garage sale treasures. She loved spending time in her community where she visited with old and new friends.  

Throughout her life Barbara was an energetic volunteer and community advocate, often being one of the first to organize help for anyone in the community who was in need. There was never a job too large or too small that she would not tackle. Her CB handle, Busy Bee, fit so well as she was always busy tending to the needs she saw around her. Barbara’s talents were many, she was an accomplished seamstress, wonderful cook, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, community volunteer and friend. She loved the Lord and sharing hope with others.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 58 years, Paul; brother, Jack Miller Jr.; infant sister, Betty Louise Miller; and brother-in-law, Tommy Thomas.  

Left to share her memory are daughter, Paula Milburn and husband, John,  of Peoria; daughter, Dedri Hafer and husband, Terry, of Hillsboro; grandchildren, Christopher Brown and wife, Jacelyn, of Waxahachie, Candace Bates and husband, Cody, of Covington and Ashely Brown of Hillsboro; great-grandchildren, Kynzeigh Crawford, Kennedy Bates, Bralynn Crawford, Kalleigh Bates and Jackson Brown; sister, Nelda Thomas of Hillsboro; sister-in-law, Joyce Miller of Aquilla; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.

Those who wish to remember Barbara in a special way may make gifts in her memory to the Peoria Community Center, 123 HCR 1335, Hillsboro, TX 76645.

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