Barbara Isabel Knight Fielding, age 96, of Wylie, Texas, passed away peacefully at her home on August 14, 2025.
Born on January 18, 1929, in Oak Park, Illinois, Barbara was the daughter of Randall F. Knight and Isabel Stratton Knight. She was preceded in death by her sister, Joanne Jenkins, and by her beloved husband, Paul Fielding, who passed away in 2008. Though she had no children of her own, Barbara’s life was filled with the love of dear friends and extended family. She is survived by her best friend, Nancy Traynor of Midlothian, Virginia, her close friends Chuck and Lana Carpenter of Plano, Texas, and many other cherished friends and distant relatives.
Barbara graduated from high school in Chicago, Illinois, and in her younger years was deeply involved with horses. She treasured her time barrel racing in rodeos and showing horses, later turning her talent and energy toward training thoroughbreds for racing.
Her love of animals extended into her next great passion—dogs. After a career in Florida state government, she retired and opened a kennel in Bonifay, Florida, where she boarded, groomed, and trained dogs. Obedience training became her specialty, and she competed extensively in trials, earning titles with more than 15 different breeds.
Barbara met her husband Paul in Bella Vista, Arkansas, where they shared a rich retired life filled with golf, bridge, and entertaining friends. She achieved the distinction of Life Master in bridge and loved duplicate tournaments, winning many. She was equally competitive at Scrabble and other board games, and rarely lost.
Always impeccably dressed, Barbara was a lifelong fashionista. Whether at a horse show, a dog trial, or a bridge tournament, she was always stylish, perfectly coiffed, and accessorized.
At age 91, as the pandemic began, Barbara relocated to Wylie, Texas, to be closer to the Carpenters, who lovingly provided any assistance she needed in her later years. Even in her 90s she remained active, flying unaccompanied to Virginia at age 95 to visit Nancy, and planning a cruise soon after. A woman of zest and charm, Barbara was truly a force to be reckoned with—energetic, stylish, and always ready for fun.
Barbara’s family and friends extend heartfelt gratitude to her caregivers Mary, Maria, Ruby, and Jennifer, and to her hospice nurse Sharon, for their compassionate care in her final days.
At her request, no services are planned.
Barbara was a joy to know and to love. She will be deeply missed by all whose lives she touched.