Barbara Hanks

Barbara Hanks, age 73, of Poteau, Oklahoma, passed away peacefully at home with family and went to be with Jesus on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. Barbara was born on June 3, 1947, in Mena, Arkansas, to the late Loyd Tibbs and Martha Burnette Tibbs.  She started working as a young girl in nursing, then she worked at US Motors in Mena for 15 years. She did in-home babysitting for a while then she started a business that included her love for animals and raised beautiful dogs that included English-French Bulldogs and Yorkies. She was a dedicated homemaker and had a passion for making and selling jewelry, sewing, gardening, canning, cooking, and decorating for every holiday and hosting big family get-togethers at Christmas in which she would have a huge spread of homemade chocolates and candy apples. She was an excellent cook and you never walked into her home without the smell of cornbread in the oven and you sure did not leave hungry. She was also known for her sage dressing at the holidays and was always happy to make a huge pan for anyone who requested it. She loved her family and lived for her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was known as “Granny Barbara” to anyone who came to visit.  The last few years of her life she sewed clothes for all them great-grandbabies as they were what gave her a reason to get up each day.

Barbara was of the Pentecostal faith and believed strongly she would be with Jesus in Heaven one day. She was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend to all who knew her.

She is survived by daughter, Samantha Jane Kiger and husband Lundy of Poteau, Oklahoma and Martha Carol Mattingly and husband Darrell of Van Buren, Arkansas;her grandchildren, Miranda and H Palmer, Hailey and Bobby Geren, Mya Hess, Jakob Braun and Brenna Cox, Ethan and Amelia Braun, and Andrew Braun and Hannah Lindsay; her great-grandchildren, Kennedy Braun, Jocelynn Braun, Havyn and Hudsyn Palmer, Cameron Braun, Kade Geren and Jaxon Braun; her sisters, Imo Little and Jane Mourton.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Loyd and Martha Tibbs; her children’s father, Sherman Hanks; three brothers, Billy, Othel, and Loyd Lee Tibbs; and one sister, Lourrine Lance.

A celebration of life get-together with singing, a short word, and a fellowship potluck lunch will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday August 15, 2020, at Shepherd’s Heart Church in Poteau.

Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Brotherton Brothers Cremation Services in Fort Smith, 914 N. 32nd St. Fort Smith, AR  72903. (479) 434-3901

To pay an online tribute visit brothertonbrothersfuneralhomes.com.

About Author

Jeri Pearson

Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.

See author's posts