Services for Barbara Townsley Summers will be 10:30 a.m., Monday, March 24, 2014 in the Chapel of the Garden at Rice Funeral Service.

Burial will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery. Visitation will be today from 3-5 at the funeral home.

Barbara passed away on Wednesday, March 19, 2014. She was 67.

Born in Tulsa on January 16, 1947 to Oren and Carol (Jackson) Townsley, Barbara was reared and educated in several different communities before completing her education at Ketchum Public Schools. 

At the young age of 14 Barbara married the love of her life, Jay, in a ceremony in Carthage, MO this union was gifted with four sons and lasted for 52 years.

Barbara excelled at her career as a wife and mother and loved to take special care of all five of her boys.

When her grandchildren came along Barbara easily transitioned to that role as well, offering them the same love and support she had shown her sons throughout their life. Some would say her favorite word became Grandma.
     
Loving to do special things for her family—Barbara cherished each Christmas making and decorating sugar cookies for the grandchildren.

She was also known to have a special desert for each of the family members necessitating a large table at all the family gatherings to proudly display all her baking efforts. One thing about Barbara's house, neither family or friend ever left hungry.

Family and the time spent together was always a delight for Barbara. She looked forward every year to the outings on Grand Lake. She also loved concerts and would somehow always be the winner of tickets given away by local radio stations.

This love of concerts is what motivated Barbara to finally give in to the Facebook craze because she realized it increased her chances of winning those priceless concert tickets.

Her family recalls one of the things that Barbara always would remember and talk about was when she won a trip to Nashville and tickets to the Country Music Awards Show.
     
Garage sales were another of her past times—Barbara could be spotted out and about in Claremore, the community that she loved, at many of the local garage and yard sales. Her family said that she equally enjoyed having those types of sales at her own home (a home her and Jay purchased over 41 years ago).

Barbara also loved country and bluegrass music. That being said, she faithfully attended the Bluegrass and Chili Festival each year and had the posters to prove it.
     
This loving wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister and friend will be missed by all who knew her.

Barbara is survived by her husband; Jay of their home, sons; Tony Summers and wife Janeen, Shawn Summers and wife Angela, Travis Summers and wife Twilla, and Jayson Summers and wife Jennifer, grandchildren; Hannah Summers, Courtney Stovall and husband Ty, Colt, Blake, Hayley, Kelsey and Keldon Summers, Chelsea King, Olivia Alburty, Jack Summers, Karley Williams-Summers and Corey Williams, eleven great-grandchildren, mother; Carol Rethford, sister; Karen Mauldin, brother; Darren Rethford and wife Melissa, and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her father; Oren, and step-father; Lawrence.

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Claremore - Barbara Townsley Summers, 67, homemaker, died Wednesday. Visitation 3-5 p.m. Sunday and service 10:30 a.m. Monday, both at Rice Funeral Service.
-Tulsa World