Columbus
On Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015, lifetime Columbus resident, Barbara Jo King, died at Keepsake Village of Columbus.
Born Barbara Jo Pope in Columbus, Indiana, on May 21, 1933, Mrs. King was 82 years old. She’d been ill for the past several years.
Mrs. King was a well known member of the Columbus community, mainly for the weekly column she contributed to The Republic for nearly 40 years. Her column appeared each Saturday, on the Church page, as “Objects of Our Affection,” under her simple pen name, “Barbara Jo.” Sharing her perspective with Columbus residents of faith, she used her column to find spiritual lessons in the everyday happenings of ordinary people. Such common events often contained deeper meanings that Barbara Jo hoped to help her readers see and apply in their own lives, relationships and spirituality.
Always active in her church and community, Barbara Jo was an early member of Crossroads Community Church near Elizabethtown. She remained a member there for over 30 years. In her column, she often encouraged people of faith to try to see the perspective of believers who happened to be of differing Christian denominations. In doing so, Barbara Jo attended services at nearly every house of worship in Bartholomew County, and many more in neighboring counties and states. She often wrote of these experiences, speaking of the common ties that bind all Christians together rather than the minor differences often used to divide them.
Barbara Jo Pope graduated Columbus High School in 1951 and became Barbara Jo Robbins in February 1953 when she married Bob G. Robbins. Their 22-year marriage brought them seven children together. She married a second time in June 1984 to fellow lifetime Columbus resident, “Buddy” King. She and Mr. King remained married for over 21 years, until his death in 2005. She resided in the same historic farmhouse west of town for 51 years, where she displayed her love of antiques and gardening. Her primary activities, interests, and hobbies were children, reading, writing, church activities, Bible study, music (she played accordion and piano), crossword puzzles, poetry and her beloved pets. While she loved to travel for pleasure and to visit family, she was forever content to make her home in Columbus, a town she loved deeply.
Mrs. King is survived by her seven children and their spouses, Angi (Randy) Gianopulos of Springfield, Missouri, Gary (Deloris) Robbins of Columbus, Anita (David) Bray of Suwanee, Georgia, Trish Ward of Columbus, Andrew (Donna) Robbins of Edinburgh, Indiana, Katrina (Bill) Long of Utica, New York, and Matthew (Darcy) Robbins McDaniel of Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Additionally, she is survived by 16 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by husband, Clarence H. “Buddy” King; parents, Joseph Pope and Opal (Pope) Rushing; stepmother, Marie Pope; and brother, William Pope.
She will be interred alongside her husband, Buddy King, at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery on Terrace Lake Road. The funeral will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Barkes, Weaver & Glick Funeral Home on Washington Street with Pastor Tracy McIntyre officiating. Family and friends may call from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday and from 9:30 a.m. until service time on Monday.
Memorials may be made in Barbara Jo’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association or Crossroads Community Church.
Online condolences and special memories may be shared with Mrs. King’s family at barkesweaveglick.com.
May the peace of the Lord be upon her as she claims her eternal place in Heaven.
barkesweaverglick.com
