Barbara Ann Edwards, 75, of Pearland, died peacefully Tuesday, Jan. 25th, 2022. She was born to Ira Lee Forbes and Ruby Ernestine Forbes on Dec. 14th, 1946 in Galveston, Texas. She was the younger sister of David Forbes and Linda Forbes Mastin and relished her “baby sister” position in the family. Her father, a banker, moved the family to Corpus Christi, Texas where her mother taught for many years.

Barbara met some of her life-long friends at Menger Elementary School and First Baptist Church in Corpus. She graduated from W.B. Ray High School in 1965 and attended the University of Houston and Stephen F. Austin State University where she met the love of her life, Richard Edwards, a sailor in the United States Navy. She earned her bachelor’s degree and a teaching certificate from SFA and after marrying Richard on Dec. 23, 1970, she began teaching in Corpus Christi while Richard was deployed overseas.

Barbara and Richard welcomed Heather in April of 1972 and Kathryn in June of 1977 and the family was complete. After transferring across the country to naval bases in California, Virginia, and Mississippi, the family moved to Houston, Texas in 1980. Barbara went back to school to become certified in early childhood education for preschool-aged children and began her career in PPCD at C.J. Harris Elementary School in Pearland, Texas. She loved the people she worked with and adored the little ones that she was fortunate enough to teach. She was even honored to be named Pearland ISD’s Teacher of the Year. After 23 years in the classroom, she retired but returned to teaching special-needs students through homebound for several more years.

Barbara loved singing and was active in her church and school choirs while growing up. As an adult, she sang in the Park Place Baptist Church choir and also with the Bay Area Chorus. She always had a song in her heart and would break out into song at a moment’s notice (though sometimes with altered lyrics). She enjoyed a good (and not so good) joke and thought that a big laugh was a necessary part of every day. Those who knew her will remember her laugh and also her zest for life.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Ira and Ruby Forbes; brother, David Forbes; and brother-in-law, Robert Mastin.

Barbara is survived by her husband of 51 years, Richard Edwards; daughters: Heather Edwards and Kathryn Edwards; sister, Linda Mastin; sisters-in-law Kay Forbes and Patti Long, brother-in-law Bobby Long, numerous beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A visitation will be held Thursday, February 3, 2022 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a service to begin at 2 p.m. in the chapel of Crowder Funeral Home in Pearland.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Hope Village, 15403 Hope Village Road, Friendswood, Texas 77546, phone: 281-482-7926.

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