Barbara Jo Neighbors' Obituary
Barbara (Bowman) Neighbors, 95, passed away peacefully in her home December 7th, 2025.
Barbara was born February 9th, 1930, to Carl and Julia (Worley) Bowman, who preceded her in death. She was the fourth born of seven children, growing up near Lemons, Missouri.
Barbara enjoyed telling about playing paper dolls with her sisters and her ornery brother Fred coming along and blowing on the paper dolls, scattering them. When met with protests he would innocently reply "a fellers got to breath." She attended the Chappell school in elementary and then later Lemons High School. After high school she attended North Missouri State Teachers College in Kirksville for two summers to get her teaching certificate.
On April 10,1949, she married her lifelong love, Benny Neighbors. Together they raised their five children on their farm in Lemons, Missouri. Barbara was a hard working woman. She and her husband ran Neighbors Mill. She worked at Banquet Food and also worked as a CNA in Unionville and Milan, MO for a few years. In their retirement years Barbara and her husband, Benny, spent a lot of hours in their garden, sharing produce with their children and grandchildren and passing along their knowledge of how to can and preserve.
Barbara was on speed dial for many of her grandchildren for all of their questions in the kitchen. She enjoyed embroidery, piano playing, and reading Christian romance novels.
Barbara and Benny learned to play music by ear and together performed at local fairs, dances and churches. They also enjoyed playing music at care centers in Milan, Trenton and Unionville, and jam sessions in Lemons and Pollock. They enjoyed creating their own musical genre by mixing country, gospel, big band and folk. As a wife, mother and grandmother Barbara was selfless. She was proud of the accomplishments of her loved ones and found her purpose serving selflessly.
Barbara is survived by a daughter, Jerri Koehn of Florence, AZ, son, Clinton Neighbors of Lemons, MO and daughters, Janice Berndt (Darrell) of Centerville, IA and Brenda Crawford (Roger) of Unionville, MO. Grandchildren; Martine Bondy (Clyde), Chrystal Perkins (Clyde Rogers), Carl Neighbors (Angela), Carol Neighbors, Wendy Neighbors, Jonathan Neighbors, Marc Baltz, Seth Baltz (Katrina), Andrea Morris (Bill), Melanie Sears, Rochelle Wood (Bob), Ben Crawford (Molly), Elizabeth Couchman (Troy), Breanna Couchman (Ty), Jacob Crawford (Caylie), Joshua Crawford (Bekah), Isaac Crawford (Paige), and Ethan Crawford, 35 great grandchildren and 10 great great grandchildren with one more on the way. Sisters Mary Lou Rew and Carlene Clark (Carol).
Barbara was preceded in death by her husband, Benny Neighbors. A daughter, Janette Neighbors. Her brother, Fred Bowman (Jean), Sisters; Anna Houston (Franklin), Virginia England (Dale) and Judy Minear and a great grandson Sean Calhoun.
Memorials are suggested to Hospice of North Missouri and Unionville First Christian Church and may be entrusted to Thomas Funeral Home, 709 S. 27th St, Unionville, Mo 63565.
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