Barbara J. Ashby

ASHBY, Barbara J. 6/7/1939 – 3/23/2022 Barbara Joann Ashby was born on June 7, 1939 in the coal mining town of Kingwood, West Virginia to Harold and Dorothy Bolyard. The second daughter in a family of four boys and four girls, she grew up close to her grandparents Dakota and Harvey Bolyard.When she was 12 years old she contracted rheumatic fever and was hospitalized for several months. During her recovery she remembered hearing the sound of angels singing and ever since has collected angel figurines.In 1957, Barbara married her sweetheart Robert Ashby. Nine months later they welcomed twins, the first of four girls.In 1961 Robert and Barbara packed up their family and headed to Upstate New York.During their 37 years in New York, Barbara made their house a home sweet home. She was a room mom at school, assisted with her daughter's Girl Scout outings, baked lots of cookies for bake sales, and made sure her husband had a good breakfast and packed his lunch every day before he went to work. She loved to cook - loved to feed people. Her potato salad and peanut butter fudge were the best.In 1998, Robert and Barbara along with their youngest daughter, made the move to Omaha, Nebraska where their first grandchildren lived.Over the last twenty-four years she has been a helper to everyone she knows. She assisted with the snack bar at the Red Barn Opry Showhouse, making treats for the Papillion Senior Center country music shows, and helping to keep clothing straightened at Younkers department store. Over the last several months Barbara was starting to experience difficulty walking.She was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in January. She fought so hard to get better so she could see her grandchildren grow up, but it was not to be. She said she was ready to go home to heaven and not be in pain anymore, but at peace.Barbara was loved by all she knew and she will be greatly missed. We will see you in the sweet by and by one day. We love you! Barbara was preceded in death by Grandson Patrick Hillhouse, Jr.; She is survived by her husband of 65 years, Robert Ashby; daughters: Sharon (Mark) Kitchell, Karen (Marc) Hallade, Oneda (John) Burns, Pamela (Patrick) Hillhouse; grandchildren: Mark, Jr., Glenn (Courtney), Robert (Hannah), Savanna, Jocelyn; 4 great grandchildren; 6 brothers and sisters; Many other relatives and friends. VISITATION: Friday, March 25, 2022 from 5-7:00pm at Braman Mortuary (Southwest Chapel) CELEBRATION OF BARBARA’S LIFE: Saturday, March 26, 2022 at 10:00am at Braman Mortuary (Southwest Chapel) INTERMENT: Mt. Auburn Cemetery Braman Mortuary - Southwest Chapel 6505 S. 144 St. Omaha, NE68137 402-895-3400