Barbara Ann Williams, 81, of Penn Laird, a longtime resident of Pineville, went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, August 7, 2024.

She was born on June 2, 1943, in Shenandoah County, Virginia to the late Lawrence Decosta Will and Nina Mae Green Will. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother Harold Eugene Will.

Barbara graduated from Stonewall Jackson High School in 1961. While attending Dunsmore Business College she met the love of her life, David Cleveland Williams. The two were married on September 29, 1962, and enjoyed 61 years as husband and wife.

When her daughters entered Primary school, Barbara took the position of secretary at Port Republic Elementary School where she forged many lifelong friendships and made a point of knowing the students, “her kids,” by name. An advancement in her career led her to Rockingham County Public Schools, Central Office where she retired as the administrative assistant to the Director of Special Education. Barbara loved her job and her co-workers but she especially loved the children and families she served for 43 years.

In addition to her career in education she was a dedicated member of Mt. Olive Brethren Church in Pineville where she sang in the choir, taught Sunday school and took joy in fellowship with her beloved church family. She later joined The Gathering Church in Grottoes to support an aspiring young pastor she had known since birth, Justin Morris.

Barbara was a skilled gardener with a broad knowledge of flowers and landscaping. She admired and respected the beauty of God’s creations and was drawn to nature and to the mountains where she and David hiked the Blue Ridge Parkway from Waynesboro to Luray. She had a passion for wildlife, wildlife photography, a variety of crafts and bird watching. She was an avid fly fisherman, a skill passed down to her from her father which she passed on to her grandson. Her gourmet meals, unconditional love, devotion, sense of humor, wisdom, friendship, confidence, and general presence will be sorely missed by her family and those fortunate enough to have known her.

In addition to being survived by her husband, David, she is also survived by two daughters, Alison Pierce and husband, Jon of Linville and Kristal Snider and husband, Mark of Penn Laird; four grandchildren, Jesse Aaron Pierce, John David Williams Snider, Scott Paul Snider and wife, Lindsey, and Brenda VanValkenburg and husband, Landon; six great-grandchildren, and her beloved shelties, Rad and Maddie.

A memorial service will be conducted at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 17, 2024, at Kyger Funeral Home in Harrisonburg with the Rev. Justin Morris and the Rev. Dr. Fred Miller officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Rockingham Educational Foundation where the Barbara Williams Memorial Scholarship will be established in her honor to benefit a local Special Education student seeking to further their education in horticulture, technology, business (or other).