Barbara Clayton Anderson was born January 30, 1929, in Lubbock, Texas, to Jerry Bernard Clayton and Mary Dickinson Clayton. She died Saturday, December 6, 2014 at her home on the Muleshoe Ranch.Memorial services will be 10 AM Tuesday, December 9, 2014 at Christ Church Anglican, 5501 North Midkiff Road, Midland, Texas 79705.Barbara was raised on the Mimbres Ranch in southwest New Mexico. Her father sold the ranch and moved the family to Roswell, NM, where Barbara graduated from Roswell High School. She attended and earned an Associate’s degree from Penn Hall in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. She continued her studies in Interior Design and graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX in January 1951. Barbara was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.Barbara married John Richard Anderson on March 26, 1951, in Hobbs, NM. They lived for a short time on the W.A.\Bill\ Anderson ranch west of Lovington, NM, before moving to Borden County, TX, to the Muleshoe Ranch. The ranch is where they made their home for 62 years and raised their family. Barbara and Rich have four children, Sally Anderson Bland, Mary Anderson Hutto, John Robert Anderson (Kevva), and Martha Anderson Wristen (Bert). Barbara and Rich have been blessed with ten grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.Barbara was the Proverbs 31 woman. She made a beautiful home, designed and sewed clothes for her children, cooked for \neighboring\ cowboys or social gatherings with ease and grace. She was a creative party planner from children’s birthdays, church events, and barn dances for political events. During summers spent in Angel Fire, NM, Barbara and Rich held annual fish fries with their friends of 30 years. Barbara was always called upon to help with activities at Borden School where her children attended. She was a perennial cheerleader and band chaperone. Barbara bought into the ‘The Borden Star\ and was its editor for many years. She built up the subscription base, and the paper is still in circulation. Barbara enjoyed needlepointing and was active in the National Needlepoint Guild and served as the New Mexico’s Needlepoint Guild’s president. She, along with Tootsie Grantham, Dorothy Dennis, Modesta Stokes each needlepointed a portion of a screen that hung in the state capitol in Santa Fe, NM, but now is on display in the Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame in Hobbs, NM. These ladies also were responsible for needlepointing Christmas ornaments representing their home counties which hang on the Christmas tree in the Texas Governor’s mansion. Barbara was responsible for the completion of the needlepoint kneelers’ project at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. Barbara sang in the choir at St. Mary’s for many years with Rich joining her in the choir loft. In the last several years they found a church home at Christ’s Church in Midland, TX, until her health declined.Barbara was married to the love of her life, Rich for 63 years. They traveled extensively around the world. Barbara was Rich’s sounding board during the drought in the ‘50s; his backbone on the campaign trail in the ‘60s, and stood beside him during the downturn of the economy in the ‘70s. Barbara loved our nation and the principles on which it was founded. Barbara’s life impacted all those who knew her. Even though she was a petite 5’2\, her absence will leave a large hole in those lives left behind – A true example of a Proverbs 31 woman-a true lady.Memorials may be sent to: National Ranching Heritage Center, 3121 4th Street, Lubbock, TX 79409, or Christ’s Church Midland, 5501 N. Midkiff Rd., Midland, TX 79705.Arrangements under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Big Spring. Online condolences may be made at: www.npwelch.com ,
