Virginia Christine Barbo passed away in McKinney, Texas, on June 5, 2024, at the age of 93. We can only imagine the celebration and reception she received from her Lord and Savior for her heavenly homecoming!
Christine was known as Mom to her children, Chris or Christine to her many friends, and MeMe to her grandchildren and great- grandchildren. Only her caregivers and salespeople referred to her as “Virginia”!
Chris was a Christmas baby (which she was very proud to share with her Lord and Savior!) born on December 25, 1930, to her parents Otto Franklin and Bertha Mae Teel, in Cold Springs, Oklahoma. She was reared in a single-parent home in Mountain Park, Oklahoma, where she helped her mother raise her three younger sisters, Helen, LaWaunna, and Bonnie. Chris was a very disciplined and goal-oriented young lady, graduating as the valedictorian of her high school class. She was also competitive and played basketball at a time when young ladies played 6 on 6 basketball, as a rather feisty 5 foot 2 inch guard! After high school, she attended and graduated from Draughon’s Business School, Wichita Falls, with a goal of working for a large company. As with many of her goals, after a lot of hard work and determination, Chris was hired by Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in Wichita Falls.
Mom met her future husband, Billy, in 1951, where they both worked for Southwestern Bell in Wichita Falls. She admitted to being instantly attracted “to his wonderful brown eyes and charming personality!” However, their romance was interrupted by Billy being drafted to serve in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. Not wanting to let a good woman get away, Billy (smartly!) proposed, and Chris (gladly!) accepted prior to him leaving for Germany (stationed at USAG Wiesbaden/Mainz, Germany, 2rd Armored Division “Hell on Wheels”). After serving 2 years overseas and upon his return to the States, they married on February 11, 1955, at a home wedding in Archer City, Texas. Thus began their adventure of a wonderful marriage spanning a mere 69 years!
After living in various Texas towns, including Wichita Falls, Hillsboro, and Denison, they settled permanently in McKinney in 1962. Their children Pamelia Renea (“Pam”), born in 1961, and Billy Joe, Jr. (“Joe” or “Joey”) born in 1962, arrived while they lived in Wichita Falls. On the other hand, Gary Don (“Don”) was born in 1964 in McKinney (hence, the only “true” McKinney native of the family as claimed by Don!).
Chris’ focus in her life was quite simple: Faith and Family. Everything in her life revolved around this focus. She was an active member of First Baptist Church for over 60 years. If the doors were open, yes, she made sure she and her family attended and were involved (Sunday morning and evening services; Wednesday evening dinner and service; children’s choirs; summer church camps, etc.). She served in various teaching and support roles at the church including in the church’s business office. She also worked with the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), prior to returning to work at Southwestern Bell in McKinney. Chris was very disciplined in her faith, leading the family’s early morning bible studies before sending them off to school and her days were steeped in prayer and humming church hymns.
Her passionate support of her family was unwavering. While Chris had a beautiful, radiant smile and glimmer in her eyes when visiting with friends and meeting new friends, she was also the consummate “Momma Bear” that was highly protective of her family. Family summer vacations spanned camping trips to various states and national parks (and every single state capital along the way!) to wonderful trips to East Texas and Sam Rayburn Lake with lots of aunts/uncles/cousins involved! She also insisted that every day start with breakfast, prayer, and scripture. And every day ended with a family supper, discussion of the day’s events, and nightly prayers. She and Billy hosted their family holidays and birthdays at their wonderful country home which they built in 1978 and where they lived for 43 years before moving into assisted living in 2022. Chris was also a voracious reader and loved to crotchet blankets for her family. She also enjoyed various other hobbies and activities, including cooking, walks and water aerobics with friends, book club and bird-watching and her daily crossword puzzles.
Chris temporarily set aside her business career to be a stay-at-home mom to focus her time and efforts on raising her three children. She later returned to work at SWB and retired after 26 years of service.
Chris and Billy made a very effective team and pretty much did everything together: attended church; commuted to work; traveled and vacationed; square-danced; attended their kids’, grandkids’, and great grandkids’ sporting events, graduations, baptisms, and other activities. While Billy was a very active gardener, Chris hustled to keep up with canning all the produce! Although Mom’s passing has separated them physically, they will always be joined spiritually and will eventually have their heavenly reunion.
Chris is survived by her husband, Billy Joe Barbo, Sr.; their three children, Pam Reynolds (husband, Rodney) and children, Chad Reynolds and Ryan Thompson; Joey Barbo and children, Joseph and Colton Barbo; and Don Barbo (wife, Judy) and children, Lauren Hruby (husband, Nate) and Jordan Barbo. She is also survived by her sisters, Naomi LaWaunna (Teel) Dunn and Edith Yvonne “Bonnie” (Teel) Barker. In addition to her six grandchildren, Chris is also survived by four great-grandchildren, including Tayton Miller, Bailey Thompson, Aubrey Reynolds, and Reeder Hruby.
Chris was preceded in death by her father, Otto Franklin Teel; mother, Bertha Mae (Teel) Taylor; sister, Helen Helmuth; mother-in-law, Alice Y’Barbo; brothers-in-law, Allen Y’Barbo, Sr., Orren Schmidt, and Gene Sheddan; and sister-in-law, Dorothy Sheddan.
A funeral service will be held at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home, 2525 Central Expressway North, Allen, Texas 75013 on Monday, June 10, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. Visitation will start at 9:00 a.m. Family and friends are also invited to the funeral home at their convenience on Sunday, June 9, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., to pay their respects and to sign the register book. You can watch the service online at https://celebrationoflife.tv/blog/virginia-christine-barbo.
In lieu of flowers, Chris and family request contributions to support the First Baptist Church of McKinney Children Ministries in memory of Christine Barbo at www.firstmckinney.com 972-542-0041.
Perhaps the best way to honor and remember our Mom is to reflect on her simple lessons for her family:
Be kind to each other.
Set worthy goals and work hard to achieve them.
Be guided by your faith in your Lord and Savior.
Love and support your family.