Barbara Shaw Howard

Funeral services for Barbara Leona (Shaw) Howard, a longtime Atoka, OK resident, were held Friday, March 28, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. at Lane Baptist Church in Lane, OK with Bro. Steve Henry and Bro. Jim Bob Lewis officiating. Burial was in Bentley Cemetery in Bentley, OK with Brown’s Funeral Service of Atoka in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Howard was born January 11, 1933 to Leon Henry and Olivia Martha (Phillips) Shaw at Tillamook, OR and passed away March 22, 2025 at Atoka, OK at the age of 92 years, 2 months and 11 days.

She attended high school in Oregon until she got married. Barbara married John E. Howard July 29, 1950 in Oregon and they celebrated over 70 years of marriage before his passing on January 9, 2021. Barbara was a pastor’s wife first and foremost and owned and operated T&H Store in Coalgate and Barbara’s Body Toners and This and That Store in Atoka. She was a member of Lane Baptist Church and taught herselfhowtoplaythepiano from the encyclopedia. Barbara enjoyed knitting, crocheting, going bowling, traveling everywhere, canning, canned jelly until she was 80, being out in the garden, and loved being with her family.

Survivors include daughters, Drucilla Thurman and husband Clinton of Bentley, Gloria Sheffield and husband Larry of Lane, OK, and Robin Roller of Bentley; grandchildren, LaDonna Forester and husband Charles of Lane, Phillip Thurman and wife, Emily, Misty Pingleton, all of Atoka, Tara Sandmann and husband, Johnny of Cottonwood, OK, Laura Kisby and husband Jay of Amarillo, TX, Jessica Hunt and husband Zach of Lane, Tawana Stockton of Oklahoma City, Nicholas Roller of Bentley; sisters, Jean Creesy of Keizer, OK, Claudine Shaw of Salem, OK and Paulette Postell of Corvallis, OR; twenty grandchildren; along with nieces, nephews, other relatives and many dear and loved friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Leon Henry Shaw and Olivia Martha (Phillips) Huntsucker; husband, John E. Howard; daughter, Linda Mae Howard; great granddaughter, Kaci McGee; son-in-law, Steve Roller; siblings, Marion Shaw, Henry Shaw, Mary Erickson, Evelyn Nilson, Nancy Schroeder, and Alice Hunt.

Casketbearers were Phillip Thurman, Zach Hunt, Jay Kisby, Johnny Sandmann, Pacer Pingleton and Cooper Hunt. Serving as honorary bearers were Cecil Lewis, Junior Henry, Larry Rains, Troy Gammon, Arthur Crews, Robert Foran, Doyle Sheffield, Jeremy Parham, Clinton Thurman and Larry Sheffield.

Condolences may be sent to thefamilybyemailto:browns@atoka.net. Please reference the name of the deceased in your correspondence.