Barbara Louise (Thompson) Blake
October 20, 1929– March 14, 2025
Barbara Louise (Thompson) Blake, 95, of Sugarland, Texas, passed away on Friday, March 14, 2025. Barbara lived a rich life, with her positive outlook. She was always open to meeting new friends and treasured her old friends.
Barbara was born on October 20, 1929, at the Mangum City Hospital, Mangum, Oklahoma, to Joe Boyd and Mamie (Patterson) Thompson. The oldest of three children, she grew up in the community of White Flat where she attended school through 8th grade. White Flat had lost its high school so her parents drove her to Mangum to attend high school. Barbara graduating from
Mangum High School in 1947. On June 22, 1947, she married Lester S. Blake in Mangum, Oklahoma. The two met when
Lester returned to Mangum after serving in the 102nd Medical Corp in Europe during WWII . Barbara and Lester lived happily in Mangum for the next 23 years raising a family and working. Larry was born June of 1948. Four years later Celia was born. Barbara encouraged her children to believe they were capable of anything they wanted to do. Education was important to Barbara - she attended the Mangum Junior College for a couple of semester but then started working and raising her family. When Larry left for OSU in 1966, Barbara returned to school completing her undergraduate degree driving daily to SWOSU for three years. When Celia left for college at OSU, Barbara and Lester packed up and moved to Moore, Oklahoma. Lester transferred to work at the Post Office in Moore and Barbara began her teaching career at Moore High School. Barbara was an early adopter of computers and saw a need for supporting schools with educational software, so she with Lester’s help and her friend Terri Cook formed a new company, Teachware.
After foty-three wonderful years, Lester preceded her in death. Barbara spent the next 10 years traveling with her good friend and fellow teacher, Lois Evans. She and Lois made many trips to rodeo arenas to watch Garrison rope. Barbara married Richard “Dick” Worthem in 1997. They had 10 lovely years together traveling and going for coffee with their friends.
Barbara was a giver - she gave of her time and talents to so many in so many ways. She was a loyal member of the United Methodist Church. She volunteered time as a member of the Oklahoma Teacher Retirement board and serving as president of the Advancement of Oklahoma Computer Education. She served as the Mangum Alumni president twice. Barbara never quit volunteering, after she moved to Burns Flat during her 80’s she volunteered at the Elk City Museum and the church thrift store.
Barbara loved her 4 grandchildren dearly, spending time with each of them and being keenly interested and involved in each one's lives. She and Lester planned to take each one on a special trip to Washington, D.C. - just for him or her. Whitney and Lindsey both were fortunate to get to take their trip. Barbara loved people! She was a loyal and amazing friend, a proud liberal, a supporter of women's rights, and an avid Facebook user. No matter how you knew Barbara, she had an impact on her family, students, friends, and acquaintances - her love of life and stories will live on for generations.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Mangum Education Foundation; or the Elk City Library;
Barbara was preceded in death by her husbands, Lester Blake and Richard Worthem, her parents, Joe Boyd and Mamie Thompson, her sister, Elizabeth “Beth” Blood, and her brother Joe Boyd Thompson, Jr.
Left to honor Barbara's memory are her Son, Larry Blake and wife Kathy, Houston, Texas; Daughter, Celia Nippert and husband Gary, Bartlesville, Oklahoma; Grandchildren, Whitney Spillman and husband Cory, Garrison Nippert and wife Jessi, Lindsey Bruehl and husband Jake, and Robbie Blake; Seven Great-Grandchildren, Alli and Kashe Nippert (daughters of Garrison and Jessi), Cooper, Conner and Sophia Spillman (sons and daughter of Whitney and Cory), Kimberlyn and Blake
(daughter and son of Lindsey and Jake). And, a host of other relatives and friends, all of whom love and admire her.
Graveside services will be, 2:00 p.m., Saturday, May 3, 2025, Riverside Cemetery, Mangum, OK.
Services are under the care of Greer Funeral Home, Mangum, Oklahoma
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Graveside
3
May
115 south Penn
Mangum, OK 73554
