Wanda Barron

Wanda Warren Barron, 87, passed away peacefully with her sister by her side on 12:20 PM May 15 at Buffalo Creek Assisted Living in Waxahachie, Texas. Wanda was born 15 May 1926, the first child of Reagan and Pauline Warren of Bryan, Texas. She graduated from Bryan High School and married Charlie Nelms Barron of Wellborn, Texas, a recent graduate from nearby Texas A&M University who was preparing to enter the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps. The couple began a life together where they would call many different places home. Their first adventure rapidly took Wanda and Charlie to veterinary officer training in Colorado. When Charlie was deployed to Burma later that year, Wanda returned to her parents' home in Bryan and there gave birth to her first child, daughter Lynn. After the war, Charlie joined the faculty of Oklahoma A&M in Stillwater, where Wanda gave birth to their second child, daughter Ann. In 1951 the family moved again, as Charlie returned to active military duty at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington, DC. There followed moves to Virginia, Maryland, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, with Wanda making friends wherever she went. Her warm personality and absolutely marvelous sense of humor helped her family create a home in each new community. The fact that she was a talented and competitive bridge player (later achieving the title, Life Master) also helped to quickly meet new neighbors. In 1968, Wanda's youngest child, Charlie, was born, shortly after the birth of her first grandchild. The next year was highlighted by a sabbatical of a few months in South Africa where Charlie, Sr. worked on comparative pathology studies. Wanda played bridge while an English nannie dotingly watched baby Charlie. There followed a move to New Mexico, closer to her nieces in Texas who could now more easily visit Aunt "Wanderful" Wanda and tour the White Sands facility and park. It was after a return to rural Maryland that Wanda faced her biggest challenge; husband Charlie, now a leading cancer researcher, was himself diagnosed with leukemia, which claimed his life in 1977. That summer, Wanda moved with her young son to be near her sister, Shirley Williams, in Waxahachie. This was Wanda's home for 36 years, her longest time anywhere. She was a teacher and past-president of the Fidelis Sunday school class and the first female lay leader at the First United Methodist Church. The church basement provided a regular venue for bridge games, while Wanda became active in the Waxahachie Community Theater. Always with an interest in speaking and performing, the highlight of her "career" was playing the title character role in Mame. Wanda also enjoyed giving humorous programs for Gardeners Limited (she was previously vice president) and other civic organizations. She treasured the many enduring friendships she made over her life, especially in Waxahachie, and these friends can tell you how often she expressed her gratitude with the simple words, "I love you". Wanda is preceded in death by her parents, husband Dr. Charlie Nelms Barron, and brother-in-law Dr. David Willard Williams, Jr. She is survived by her daughters Lynn Barron Aldrich and husband Michael E. Aldrich, and Ann Barron Matheson and husband Michael M. Matheson; son Dr. Charlie Nelms Barron, Jr. and wife Cylinda Settlemyer Barron; grandchildren Dr. Jack Barron Aldrich and wife Natalia Senkova, Matt E. Aldrich, Daniel A. Aldrich, Alexandra N. Barron, and Christopher N. Barron; sister Shirley Williams; and many beloved nieces and nephews and their families. Pallbearers will be Wanda's nephews Bill Burke, Billy Bentz, and Fred Kennedy; great-nephew Dyar Bentz; and friends Jack Dunaway and Dr. Richard Redington. Dr. David Williams will be considered a pall-bearer emeritus. Honorary pallbearers will be her son, grandsons and sons-in-law. A service of remembrance to celebrate Wanda's life will begin at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 19, 2013 at the First United Methodist Church, to be followed by an interment at the Waxahachie City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First United Methodist Church of Waxahachie, 505 W Marvin Ave., Waxahachie, TX 75165 or to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, for the disease that claimed her husband's life, 1311 Mamaroneck Avenue, Suite 310, White Plains, NY 10605, or you may go to www.Lls.org Arrangements are under the direction of Wayne Boze Funeral Home.

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