Obituary of Mary Barksdale

Mary L. Carey Barksdale was born in Prince Edward County, Virginia on April 23, 1933 to Nelson and Florine Evans Carey. She attended elementary school which was on the same grounds as New Hope Baptist Church and graduated in 1952 from the R.R. Moton High School in Farmville, VA. Mary accepted Christ at the age of 12 and joined New Hope Baptist Church under the Rev. Agnew who carried on the revival. From that time, she always had Christ in her heart and life. At New Hope Baptist Church, she was a member of the Junior and Senior Choirs’ Ministries where she sang for over 50 years and served 25 years as secretary; she also taught Sunday School from time to time and served on the Missionary Circle Ministry. On August 21, 1954 she married the late Garfield Barksdale, Sr. and from this union five children were born: Garfield, Patricia, Stacy, Monica, and Maurice. Mary was very soft spoken with a kind and gentle spirit, whom always wore a smile even until the very end. She never complained or had a harsh word to say. She loved to sing her favorite hymn “There’s A Bright Side Somewhere.” She had a passion for playing dominios, loved her flower garden, and making her favorite dish – corn pudding. On Wednesday, November 23, 2016, she departed this life in Richmond, VA. She was preceded in death by her parents’; husband, Garfield Barskdale, Sr.; daughter, Monica; three sisters, Ada Williams, Alto Stokes, and Mattie Hall. She leaves to cherish fond memories: two sons, Garfield Barksdale, Jr. (Amber) and Maurice Barksdale; two daughters, Patricia Mosley (Anthony) and Stacy Walker (Jarvis, Sr.); seven grandchildren, Michelle Ferguson (Mark), Minister Eurika Tyree (Conrad), Amber Barksdale, Paula Chapman, Chandra Chapman, Antuan Mosley, and Jarvis Walker, Jr.; twelve great-grandchildren, Octavia and O’Layna Tyree, Jasmine, Jordan, and Jaylen Ferguson, Klise Otey, Christian Chapman, Michael Jr. and Gartisha Crawley, Amberia Chapman, Zamora Robinson, and Josiah Mosley; two brothers, Samuel Carey (Florine) and James Carey (Naomi); six sisters, Irene Benton, Emma Gaines (Frank), Maxine Salters (Joe), Ann Stubbs (Eddie), Minister Josephine Hewitt (Elder Herman), and Kate Bynes (Glenn); along with a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.