Barbara Strickland

Born on May 12, 1939 in Birmingham, Alabama, Barbara was the fourth of eleven children of the late Jack and Virginia Cowan. She attended Jefferson County schools and Tuscaloosa High School.

Barbara married Joe Strickland in 1956. The couple relocated to Shreveport, Louisiana where Joe served at Barksdale Air Force Base. After Joe's honorable discharge from the military, he and Barbara moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama. They welcomed three daughters during their 49-year marriage.

Barbara was a member of Stone Memorial Baptist Church for many years before transferring to Graceway Baptist Church. She faithfully attended the church and cherished her time praising and serving the Lord. She particularly enjoyed helping with vacation bible school and working with the children in the church nursery.

One of the major highlights of her life was visiting the Holy Land and being baptized in the Jordan River.

Barbara enjoyed listening to gospel music, going out to eat, and watching movies on the Lifetime channel. However, her greatest joys in life were her children and grandchildren. She would move heaven and earth for them. She lived to spoil them with her love, kindness, and generosity and always enjoyed spending time with them no matter the activity. While her life was not always easy, she remained a deeply compassionate and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend.

Barbara is preceded in death by her husband Joe Strickland, her first-born daughter Debbie Gilmore, her parents, three brothers Don, Buddy, and Gerald, and two sisters Jackie and Judy.

She leaves behind to cherish her memory, her daughters, Kim Davis (Wade) and Mindy McIntosh (David), grandchildren, Jesse Davis (Dr. Katie Cheesman), Jason Davis (Katy), Jordan Davis, Emma, and Brent Smith, and great-grandchildren, Tristion, Gunnar, and Harlan Gilmore: her sisters, Patsy Osborn (Jimmy), Mary Atkinson, Lynda Taylor (Rick) and brother Tommy Cowan (Carla), along with a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

A visitation for Barbara will be held on Saturday, February 10, 2024 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. Following the visitation will be a celebration of life funeral service at 2:00 PM at Memory Chapel Funeral Home, 2200 Skyland Blvd E, Tuscaloosa, Al 35405. Stephen Hooks will officiate and pallbearers will be son-in-laws and grandsons. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Scott Fulgham and staff, Heritage Healthcare and Rehab, Crimson Village, DCH Cardiac ICU nurses, former members of Stone Memorial Baptist Church and Graceway Baptist Church, and special friends Bonnie Elmore and Johnny "Pete" Ware.

Memory Chapel Funeral Home, a Dignity Memorial Provider, is honored to serve the Strickland family during their time of bereavement. Friends and family are invited to share photos, memories, and expressions of sympathy at www.memorychapelfuneralhome.com for Barbara's family.