Mrs. Barbara Sue Wilson Burrow, age 77, wife of Jim Burrow, and a resident of Timberland Drive in Columbia, Tennessee, passed away peacefully on Sunday, December 12, 2021, at her residence, surrounded by her loving family, after an extended illness.
Barbara was born in Adrian, Michigan on October 3, 1944, and was the daughter of the late Jay T. Wilson and the late Nora B. Myers Wilson. Barbara grew up on her parent’s small farm in the village of Fairfield, Michigan, where she helped her father raise pigs. She graduated from Sand Creek High School in 1962 as Salutatorian of her class. After High School, she worked many years as a dental assistant.
On August 29, 1964, she married the man of her dreams, James T. Burrow “Jim,” and they had three daughters. She and her husband were members of the Fairfield Baptist Church in Fairfield, Michigan for many years. They later became members of Bethany Assembly of God in Adrian, Michigan. In 1990, Barbara and her family moved to Tennessee where her husband began a career with Saturn Corporation. They were most recently long-time members of Columbia First Assembly of God (C1.Church). Barbara was a loving Sunday School teacher of children and junior high school girls for forty-four years.
She had a beautiful smile, and she inherited from her father a wonderful, boisterous, contagious laugh, which couldn’t be contained when something said, seen, or done struck her as very funny. She enjoyed, for a while, creating landscapes with oil paints, and she was also a closet poet. A few of her titles were: “An Angel Unaware,” “The Beauty Shop,” “The Hysterectomy,” “The Little Bird,” and “Grandpaw.”
Wherever she lived, she easily made good friends and built relationships with people who were saddened when she had to move away. She loved to talk with friends, but not in front of a group.
Barbara early on earned a reputation as having very good culinary skills. However, she seemed to receive the highest kudos for her baking skills. She was truly an artist. For several years, she made and decorated wedding and birthday cakes. To their delight, her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, became the primary benefactors of her oven’s output. Several local restaurants, waiters, and other business employees, who she has befriended, were the recipients as well. They were always eager to see her come with plates stacked high with cookies.
She cherished the times that she was able to spend with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
In addition to her loving husband, Jim, she is survived by her three daughters, Connie (Alan) Sharp of Columbia, TN, Lori (Mark) Bentley of Duck River, TN, and Karen Burrow of Columbia, TN, seven grandchildren, Ryan (Christina) Sharp, Nathan Sharp, Jenna Sharp, Meghan Bentley, Zachary Bentley, Nicholas Bentley, and Ben Bentley, two great-grandchildren, Hayden Sharp and Emma Sharp. Also, surviving is one sister, Kay (Nick) Terry, three brothers, Jerry (Judy) Wilson, Jim (Carol) Wilson, Doug (Sue) Wilson, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A funeral service will be held on Friday, December 17, 2021, at 11:00 AM at Heritage Funeral Home with Pastor Ryan Tatham officiating. Burial will follow in Maury Memorial Gardens. A visitation will be held on Thursday, December 16, 2021, from 4:00 – 7:00 PM and again on Friday from 10:00 – 11:00 AM at the funeral home. Heritage Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
Pallbearers will be Ryan Sharp, Nathan Sharp, Zach Bentley, Nick Bentley, Ben Bentley, and Dale Evans. Honorary pallbearers will include Larry and Sue Wanamaker and Alan and Cheryl Sweat.
