Obituary for Barbara Collier
Barbara Ann Collier (December 17, 1923 – December 27, 2022). Having celebrated her 99th birthday and 99th Christmas, Barbara Ann Collier passed from this life into the arms of Jesus on December 27, 2022. A private family graveside service will be held at Oakwood Cemetery.
Barbara was born in East Liverpool, Ohio to Mary and Glenn Smith. She spent her first five years living in Cuba, where her father was employed as a supervisor in a sugar cane mill. She attended first grade in Ohio where her family moved for the birth of her sister. After living several other places, including returning to Cuba, the family finally settled in Tampa, Florida.
After Barbara graduated from Hillsborough High School in 1941, she worked in a doctor’s office and eventually attended nurses training in Miami, Florida. In Miami, she met and married 1 Lt. Thomas Lou Long from Grundy Center, Iowa. Leaving the navy, the couple moved to Barbara’s home in Tampa where in 1947 their first child, Mary Ann, was born. Reenlisting in the navy, Tom was sent to Norfolk, VA, where their second child, Thomas Lou Long, Jr. was born in 1954.
The family’s next assignment was the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida. Tragically while on duty, Tom was killed in an aircraft accident in 1955. At the age of 29, Barbara was widowed with two children, one year and eight years of age. Rather than moving closer to family in Tampa or Iowa, Barbara chose to remain in Pensacola. Motivated by her strong Christian faith and her passionate desire to help those in need, Barbara sold the family’s home, bought a house in the country, and began to care for foster children.
In 1958, having learned of the need for a nurse to serve in a mission group on the Mexican border in El Paso, Texas, Barbara sold her home, and she and her children made the courageous cross-country move to do missions nursing on the border. As the children grew older, she recognized the need to devote herself fulltime to raising them. Settling in El Paso, Barbara made wonderful friends. After the children were older, she worked as a nurse again in hospitals, public health, and public schools. In 1980, Barbara and Tom, Jr. moved to Waco, to be nearer to Mary Ann, who had married.
Barbara soon became an active member of the Waco community, playing tennis, dancing, teaching ESL classes, teaching the Bible, and becoming an active member of the McLennan County Democratic Party and the Fellowship of Naomi at Highland Baptist Church. She invested most of her time, however, making a home for Tom Jr. and helping to raise her grandchildren.
Survivors include: her sister, Mary Ellen Davis, of Sun City Center, Florida; son, Thomas Lou Long, Jr., daughter, Mary Ann Thomas, son-in-law, Bill Thomas, of Waco. Two grandchildren, Ryan Matthew Thomas, and wife Wendy, of Winnetka, IL; Megan Elizabeth Thomas Evans and husband Randy, of Dallas, TX, six great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family would like to extend special thanks to Diann Ward, Barbara’s sitter with Visiting Angels, for many years of faithful service, and the nursing and hospice staffs of Ascension Providence health care.
Barbara was born in East Liverpool, Ohio to Mary and Glenn Smith. She spent her first five years living in Cuba, where her father was employed as a supervisor in a sugar cane mill. She attended first grade in Ohio where her family moved for the birth of her sister. After living several other places, including returning to Cuba, the family finally settled in Tampa, Florida.
After Barbara graduated from Hillsborough High School in 1941, she worked in a doctor’s office and eventually attended nurses training in Miami, Florida. In Miami, she met and married 1 Lt. Thomas Lou Long from Grundy Center, Iowa. Leaving the navy, the couple moved to Barbara’s home in Tampa where in 1947 their first child, Mary Ann, was born. Reenlisting in the navy, Tom was sent to Norfolk, VA, where their second child, Thomas Lou Long, Jr. was born in 1954.
The family’s next assignment was the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida. Tragically while on duty, Tom was killed in an aircraft accident in 1955. At the age of 29, Barbara was widowed with two children, one year and eight years of age. Rather than moving closer to family in Tampa or Iowa, Barbara chose to remain in Pensacola. Motivated by her strong Christian faith and her passionate desire to help those in need, Barbara sold the family’s home, bought a house in the country, and began to care for foster children.
In 1958, having learned of the need for a nurse to serve in a mission group on the Mexican border in El Paso, Texas, Barbara sold her home, and she and her children made the courageous cross-country move to do missions nursing on the border. As the children grew older, she recognized the need to devote herself fulltime to raising them. Settling in El Paso, Barbara made wonderful friends. After the children were older, she worked as a nurse again in hospitals, public health, and public schools. In 1980, Barbara and Tom, Jr. moved to Waco, to be nearer to Mary Ann, who had married.
Barbara soon became an active member of the Waco community, playing tennis, dancing, teaching ESL classes, teaching the Bible, and becoming an active member of the McLennan County Democratic Party and the Fellowship of Naomi at Highland Baptist Church. She invested most of her time, however, making a home for Tom Jr. and helping to raise her grandchildren.
Survivors include: her sister, Mary Ellen Davis, of Sun City Center, Florida; son, Thomas Lou Long, Jr., daughter, Mary Ann Thomas, son-in-law, Bill Thomas, of Waco. Two grandchildren, Ryan Matthew Thomas, and wife Wendy, of Winnetka, IL; Megan Elizabeth Thomas Evans and husband Randy, of Dallas, TX, six great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family would like to extend special thanks to Diann Ward, Barbara’s sitter with Visiting Angels, for many years of faithful service, and the nursing and hospice staffs of Ascension Providence health care.