A service to celebrate the life of our beloved wife and mother will be held Friday, October 2, 2020 at 2:00 PM at Striffler-Hamby Mortuary, 4071 Macon Road, Columbus, GA. Reverend Steve Riddle will be officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
Barbara was born August 10, 1942 in Columbus, GA, daughter of the late George H. Riddle, Jr. and Maggie Merle Adkins Riddle. Her family and friends knew her as an incredible lady. Once married, she put a good career aside to focus her efforts on her family. She was a baseball mom, a band chaperone, and a crafter. Her prowess with power tools and paint brushes earned her the nickname 'Barbara Vila' as she tackled home improvement projects on her own. She loved practical jokes. Her gag gifts at Christmas were always good for a laugh. So were the multi-camera Christmas productions she put together to remind us all of the good times we spent together. She loved hearing stories of the grands and great grands. And, boy, could this lady cook! She taught her children and grandchildren the art of preparing a great Southern meal (complete with dessert). She loved to give and to see the joy she brought with her carefully thought out purchases. Her family was the center of her existence and she loved them fiercely. More than any of this, she loved Jesus and prayed for her family. Her faith in God and relationship with Christ grew stronger in her later years, even as she fought through the struggles of declining health.
Barbara took advantage of every opportunity she had to pour herself into our lives and never asked for anything in return. The family’s hope is that they can all continue her legacy of giving to benefit those around them.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a sister.
Survivors include her husband of 57 years, Jack Rodgers, Sr. of Columbus, GA; one son, Jack Rodgers, Jr. and his wife, Laura; one daughter, Lisa Eldridge and her husband, Dwight; four grandchildren, Rickey Rodgers (Breanna), Kyle Eldridge, Tripp Rodgers (Christine) and Meagan Rodgers; five great-grandchildren, Thomas (Trai) Turkington, Jaxon Rodgers, Rebecca Rodgers, Raelyn Alston, and Emma Kate Rodgers; two brothers, Steven Riddle and his wife, Michelle and George Riddle, Jr., and his wife, Jutta; and one sister, Gloria Lohry, and her husband, Eugene (Gino); and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins.
For those who have inquired, Barbara loved flowers and would have appreciated them. For those wishing to reach out in other ways, donations to Valley Rescue Mission would be greatly appreciated.
In keeping with the efforts to control the spread of COVID-19, social distancing procedures set forth by Governor Brian Kemp and Mayor Skip Henderson will be followed.
To sign the online guest registry, please visit www.shcolumbus.com.
