Memorial Service: 5PM Friday, August 15th at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 3698 Rosemeade Pkwy, Dallas.
Funeral Services: 2PM Saturday, August 16th at Lake Shore Funeral Home Chapel, 5201 Steinbeck Bend in Waco. Burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery in Waco.
Viewing: will be one hour prior to the funeral service on Saturday August 16th.
Barbara Ruth Degrate Ransome was born April 13, 1947, the second child and eldest daughter of N.C. and Ora Lee (Pimpton) Degrate. She grew up in the community of Asa and graduated in 1966 from G. W. Carver High in Waco. Barbara earned an Associate Degree from McLennan Community College. She ended a 35 year career with Prudential Insurance as Senior Operations & Controls Specialist when she retired in 2012. Prior to and during her brief retirement, Barbara’s faith was manifested in her wholehearted care and case management services for her mother.
Barbara and husband, Robert were married July 22, 1971 in Waco.
She was gifted with soft speech and unending patience. As a young woman, she was a skilled seamstress.Barbara was also an adept administrator and manager, planning and organizing both professional and private activities with finesse. As the oldest of nine sisters, and mother of four, she provided wise and spiritual counsel to them. Barbara’s love for family and strong faith in Jehovah was her principal guiding rod. Securely surrounded by those who loved her unconditionally, Barbara passed away August 9, 2014.
Barbara was preceded in death by her parents; and her son, Marcus Weakly, who died in infancy.
Survivors are her husband, Robert; her children Tina Rena Omar, Kerry and Shanell Ransome, Farisa Monique Fray, and Miriam and Howard Faber; her grandchildren James Bryonne Wiley III, Khi Ransome, Keenan Ransome, Kristen Ransome, Kamryn Ransome and Yasmin Fray; her great-grandchildren, Kelis Wiley and Jeremiah Wiley; eight sisters, Jessie (Emmitt) Wilborn, Loretta (Ronald) Bible, Floretta Jones, Vallerie Degrate-Vaughn, Ora “Lisa” (Jessie) Thomas, Carol (Jackie) Keggins, Janis (Jonathan) Wilder and Patricia (Travis) Daniels; four brothers, N.C. (Dorothy) Degrate, Jr., Wayne (Diane) Degrate, William (Sharon) Degrate and Johnny Degrate; two aunts, Vera Hawkins and Willie Jewel Cromer; two uncles, Ennis Degrate, Sr. and L.C. Degrate; and many supportive nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Place of Service: Lake Shore Funeral Home Chapel , 5201 Steinbeck Bend; Waco, TX 76708
Print Obituary & Condolences
My heart goes out to you guys. I am deeply sorry for your loss of such an amazing woman. I went through this 4 1/2 years ago and it feel like yesterday. I love you guys and I am here for you to talk to or ask questions or anything I can do please let me know! Everyday will get easier and grieving is different for everyone. My family all grieved differently. I will be there for you guys on Friday! Stay strong and know she is looking up at you from heaven! Our mommas are having a party together!
I have known your mother for many years and have always felt very close to the family. My prayers and condolences to you and your family.
Lyn Cunningham
Dear Ransom Family,
We had the opportunity to meet sister Barbara here in Mexico when she came for treatment and we were able to
see a strong spiritual servant of Jehovah Matt 5:3
Having experience our spiritual paradise in our worldwide organization we are looking forward to see her again in Paradise earth with the fulfillment of the words of Job 14:15 ” You will call and I will answered”
Your Brothers and Sisters, from Playas Ingles Congregation in Mexico
My heart was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Barbara. My thoughts and prayers are with the family. Much love to you all
Barbara, will be missed. I reflect back of the heartfelt comments she would make at our Christian meeting. It was evident that she had a close personal relationships with Jehovah. She was always so up building. I hope she is in Jehovah memories. I look forward to seeing her again. May Jehovah give her family strength. Agape Love her sister Michele Castillo.
Kerry,
I am sorry to hear about your mom. We have been praying for you and your family. We don’t often understand G-d’s timing, but we need to trust him.
In Christ,
Tim and Claire Anderson
I am heartsick for the loss of Barbara. She was a kind loving person & I’m proud to have had her as a friend. There will be a grand reunion in the future when she as well as all of us will be healthy & be able to enjoy life to the full. In the meantime our prayers will be with the family to endure the grief & the loss.
Love,
Randy & Helen Raborn
I can not express my condolences to my family. I remember as a child cousin Barbara helping take care of my mother when she was sick and always willing to take me to her house where me and miriam played together. She will be truly missed. Prayed for my family’s strength. ..god makes no mistakes. What a great woman who lived a full life.
Dear Ransom Family,
I met Barbara recently with Kerry at the Hope4Cancer clinic in Tijuana. She was the picture of beauty and grace that I would imagined was her hallmark throughout her life. Always kind and nurturing, inquisitive and engaging. The sweet relationship between Kerry and Barbara, and the Ransom duo and the rest of us was delightfully refreshing and one can just imagine all the joyous family memories that will help to cushion your terribly sorrowful loss and eventually color the future with brighter times.
My heart goes out to you,
I’m so sorry,
Lucy
Hi Lucy,
My condolences to losing your friend. Please email if you get a chance, I have some questions about the hope4cancer. Thanks in advance.
steven.moyano@aol.com
To the Ransom family,
Although we have yet to meet I was told of your family by Loretta your aunt when we had the pleasure of meeting and going to a convention together a few years back. We are so sorry for your loss and send our love and prayers to you and yours. I am so excited to know that I have relatives in the truth and that soon we will have forever together. I loss my dad Oliver Degrate, almost 2 years ago next month and the best thing I do to honor his memory is to stay faithful to Jehovah so we can meet again real soon. Although it was time of sadness knowing that he was faithful til the end brought me great relief. We all grieve differently, don’t let anyone dictate to you how to grieve. It is a very personal thing. Be strong my family and see you soon.
Sorry for you loss, My thoughts and prayers are with you.
I am sorry for your lost of such wonderful mother and sister and wife. My God bless you all and help you through this trying times. Love you all linda
Our hearts are grieving but we rejoice that you are now healed. I will miss the great motherly great advice. I’m so greatfull for the the time we shared these last few months. I thank Our God for our sisterhood, love and friendship. There will always be unconditional love in our hearts for you. Until we meet again, I remain hopeful and excited.
Your big baby…Janis
I worked with Barbara for several years, and I want to be sure you all know how loved she was by her Prudential family. Barbara gave me kind and wise counsel many times and was truly a mother-figure for me, as I’m sure she was for many during her life. I send my deepest condolences to all of Barbara’s family. She loved you all so very much.
To The Ransome Family
Kerry and Shanell I am so sorry to here about your lost. May God Bless you and your family at this time and give you the peace that surpasses all understanding
Louis and Darlene Haynes
Lisa,
My heart aches for you and your family in the loss of you beloved sister. May God give you and the family the strength to carry on in these tough days now, and in the future
To: Floretta Jones and the Ransome family,
With heartfelt condolences, my thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time.
Loretta and Floretta, I’m so sorry to hear you have lost your sister. Death is such an enemy. Please know my prayers and love are with you both. Floretta if you don’t remember who I am your sister can tell you. Isa. 41:13. It was Wayne’s favorite scripture. Hugs.
Sorry for your loss she was a beautiful person loving and caring she will truly be missed we loved her but God loved her more no more pain and suffering RIP my friend luv u
It was with a heavy heart that I learned of Barbara’s passing. I felt sadness for her beloved family and countless friends but I rejoiced in the knowledge that Barbara is once again reunited with her parents and her baby boy. Barbara was a loyal and compassionate friend, a devoted wife and partner to Robert, a loving matriarch to not only her much loved children and grandchildren but to her entire extended family. And how she loved her God. She was an angel walking amongst us during her time here on this earth. My love and prayers go out to all whose lives were enriched by knowing this amazing woman.
To the family of my dearest (Golinda childhood) friend:
My prayers, thoughts and love are with you during this difficult time. Be assured God makes no mistakes.
Much Love
Liz
Corona California
I’m going to miss you Nana. I love you. Rest in peace.
We love you all!! Monique I still have pics of us when we were about 2-3 yrs old at my grandparents house on Summer Ave …. We played hard girl!! ;)) Those were truly the carefree and innocent days gone by. May Jehovah bless your family thru this loss … Your mother was a beautiful person, inside and out. She displayed in her personality her love for Him and his teachings. I pray you all have His peace, and remember Jehovah’s promise at Acts 24:15 …
Love you guys!!
Becca, Tracy, Lisa, Samantha, Lois and Richard Baker
Tonight, I sit here only thankful of the large and loving family that we have. We all understand one another in strenghths and weaknesses. And we all play a huge part in what our family is composed of.
I am thankful for us all, but more so now, I am grateful for the life and Godly example of what my aunt was to us all. Very loving and soft spoken, she ruled with firmness. Aunt Barbara always provided a solution or option for a solution whenever I had questions or concerns about life, or raising my own children. There was always some love thrown in for good measure.
I thank The Father above for what He’s given to each of us. A gift, truly to be treasured.
I love you, Aunt Barbara. And to Kerry & Shanell, Tina, Monique and Miriam and Howard, be strong in The Lord.
Heather
He will swallow up* death forever,+ And the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will wipe away the tears from all faces.+ The reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, For Jehovah himself has spoken it. MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY