Barbara Anne (Brown) Woodruff, a beloved mother, grandmother, and lifelong educator, died peacefully on July 28, 2025, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She was 93 years old. Her daughter, Betsy, held her hand, singing softly, while her son-in-law, Gardner, prayed at her side.
Barbara was born Aug. 7, 1931, in Denver, Colorado, to Danish immigrant and farmer Niels Brown and Nebraska-born Dane, Karen Marie Thompsen Brown. She was the middle child of three, with her older brother, Leonard, and younger sister, Marilyn, forming a close-knit trio of siblings raised in faith, hard work and resilience during the great depression.
In 1943, the family moved from Omaha to a farm near Cordova and Barbara would later recall that first winter – snowbound without electricity or running water – as the most difficult time in her life. It also planted in her a lifelong dislike of the cold and a profound strength of character.
Barbara graduated as valedictorian from Cordova High School in 1949. She cherished memories of lunchtime with her classmates, her mother's homemade bread and pickles, and the joy of good report cards. Driven and intelligent, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in History, cum laude, from Doane College in 1954, where she also participated in the only collegiate drum corps in the Midwest. Later she would get her Masters of Education at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas.
Barbara's love of learning was matched only by her love of teaching. She began her remarkable 50-year career in education at the age of 18 in a one-room schoolhouse in Friend, walking two miles each day to teach 11 students in grades one through eight – starting the fire, shoveling snow, and setting traps for mice before lessons began. That determined spirit would take her to classrooms in Nebraska, New Mexico, and finally Midland, Texas, where she taught for over four decades – first at Sam Houston Elementary and then at The Hillander School, where she became a beloved fixture. First grade was her favorite; she often said she wanted to "start them off with the best foundation." Former students would return years later to entrust their own children to her classroom, a testament to her enduring impact.
Barbara married Edwin Woodruff on June 2, 1957, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Cordova. In 1967, after years of prayer, God blessed them with their only child, Anne Elizabeth “Betsy” Woodruff. Barbara devoted herself to motherhood, forming a deep and loving bond with her daughter that endured throughout her life.
She loved Nebraska and was proud of her Danish roots, often reminding those around her that she came from a farming family in Nebraska. She was intelligent, quick to laugh, always smiling, and never one to turn down a hot cup of coffee – no matter the hour. In 1965, she traveled to nine European countries, including Denmark, where she visited the birthplace of her father and met family, including Moste, her great-aunt. That trip, filled with heritage and connection, was one of the highlights of her early adult life.
Barbara retired from teaching in 2006 and moved to Dallas in 2010. living across the street from Betsy and her family. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she moved into her daughter’s home, where she was surrounded by love and care as she recovered from a stroke. She relocated to Oklahoma City in 2023 with Gardner and Betsy’s move.
Barbara is survived by her daughter, Anne Elizabeth “Betsy” Woodruff Randall and her husband Gardner Randall from Oklahoma City; two grandsons, Benjamin Randall from Austin, Texas, and Jonathan Randall from Seattle, Washington, whom she adored beyond compare. She is also survived by her sister, Marilyn Krantz from Granbury, Texas, and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and former students who carry her lessons and love forward.
Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, Niels and Marie Brown; and her brother, Leonard N. Brown.
Her life was one of joy, kindness, and service – measured not in accolades, but in generations of children who learned to read, write, think, and care under her gentle guidance.
The Rite of Christian Burial will be Saturday, Sept. 6, at 2 p.m. at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cordova. The officiants for the service will be The Rev. Michelle K. Kanzaki and The Rev. Canon Betsy Randall. Immediately following will be a graveyard interment at Zastrow Cemetery, and a celebration of life at the Cordova Community Center.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested in her memory to Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, continuing her family legacy of faith and life events in the heart of Cordova.
