Barbara Marie Aland

Barbara Marie Aland Welcome to heaven Barbara. Alzheimer's may have taken your mind and body, but God has you now. She was born in London, Kentucky on October 24, 1954 to Ray and Dorothy (Brashear) Gregory, the fifth of seven children. Dorothy and her daughters moved to New Port Richey, Florida when Barbara was eight. Life was difficult for a single mother and her 5 girls. Barbara married (Joel LaDon Crook) at 15 and became a mother at 16. The marriage did not last, but with the help of her family, she began raising her son (Joel). She began working as a cook, then assistant manager at Rube's Restaurant in Holiday, FL. She made friends with Jane Stephany who just happened to have a little brother, named Patrick. Pat also worked at Rube's, and was a terrible cook, but he could make Barbara laugh and feel strong. By New Year's Eve 1975, Pat and Barb decided to marry. On April 2, 1976 they married in the quaint church they had been attending at that time. After their honeymoon, even with both of them working, money was so tight Pat joined the Army, and in 1976 and Barbara became an Army wife. She and Joel, with the help of her sister Nora, drove from Florida to Fort Lewis, Washington to join Pat. Barb and Pat always said, moving to Washington was good for them as a couple. They learned to lean on each other and survive, and even thrive there. They bought their first home in Washington, and -after a long struggle to get pregnant- she gave birth to their daughter, Elisabeth. After Pat was stationed in Germany, she sold their house and moved Joel and Elisabeth to be with Pat, where they all lived from 1982 to 1985. While in Germany, she earned her high school diploma and became an excellent seamstress for her children. After returning to the states, Barb and her family lived in Kentucky for a short time, but later moved to Lubbock, Texas, arriving minutes after midnight January 1, 1986. Barb worked for many years as a cook and manager in the restaurant business before deciding to make a change. At the age of 37, she attended college to become an accountant, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 1993. After graduating, she went to work almost immediately for Wilkerson Storage Company and remained there for 17 years, retiring in 2010 when Alzheimer's made it impossible for her to perform her job. She was not, by nature, a trusting person, but she could be a person's very best friend. She was fiercely loyal and supportive of her family. That family grew to include four grandchildren and (to date) four great grandchildren. The fact that they are doing well in this world, is in large part, a testament to her steadfast support that -at times- included a loving shove. She went from a high school dropout, to a college graduate, to a first rate accountant. She survived the stresses of having a husband in a combat zone for close to a year and then supported him through his own graduation from college. She never quit, especially when it came to loving her family, or adoring her "little buddy", Lucky (her beloved dog). Even when she was well into the grips of this terrible disease, she was still able to comfort a crying child that was visiting the kid's church for the first time. Barbara passed peacefully at home on July 31, 2024. Barbara was preceded by her mother Dorothy Bailey, stepfather William (Bill) Bailey, father Ray Gregory, brother Johnny Gregory, and sister Alline Gambal. She is survived by her loving husband of 48 years, Patrick, son Joel Aland and his wife Dana, daughter Elisabeth Colmer and her husband Daniel, her grandchildren Matthew Aland, Mariah Eytcheson and her husband Tyler, Jaden Aland and his wife Taitum, and Brendan Aland, her great grandchildren, Jerimiah, Brailey, Jaxon, and Ellie Mae. Also survived by her siblings, Kenneth Brashear and his wife Molly, Nora Gregory, Vela James and her husband Gregg, and Deborah Weekes. The family would like to thank the staff of Hospice of the South Plains, particularly Amanda, Amy, Dotty, Kim, and Mary who aided in Barbara's care. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association (alz.org). Services will be held on Saturday August 10th at 2:30pm at Turning Point Church, 11202 Quaker Ave, Lubbock, 79424. Feel free to wear purple, as it was her favorite color. "I'm living this life just to live again". Dance, Barbara, dance.

Barbara Marie Aland

October 24, 1954 - July 31, 2024