BARBARA BEE HARDY SARTAIN

Houston, Texas - Barbara Bee Hardy Sartain, 82, wife, mother and homemaker, died Monday afternoon, November 20, following a long battle with Alzheimer’s. She was born to the late Mary Alice Batson Hardy and Richard Nance Hardy. 

Barbara attended River Oaks Elementary in Houston, Texas, and graduated from Hillcrest High School in Dallas, Texas, following a family move to Dallas due to her father’s increasing role with Pacific Finance. In Dallas, she met her lifelong friend Sybil Jacobe, with whom she remained close her whole life. In high school, Barbara was head of the Panaders, the drill team, and met her future husband, James Edward ‘Ed’ Sartain. Barbara attended Southern Methodist University, was a member of Chi Omega Sorority and enjoyed modeling.

She and Ed married in Dallas on August 17, 1962, and a year later their only child, Bethany, was born. They moved to Waco where Ed attended Baylor University law school.  Ed gave Barbara a Palomino horse that she rode as often as she could. This was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for Barbara, and she rode throughout her life. Her passion for horses was unparalleled.

After passing the bar, Ed served in Vietnam, and upon his return they moved to Washington, DC. The time flew by as Barbara and her fabulous running mate, Margaret Sanger Lampe, had numerous adventures.

After four years they returned to Texas and moved to Fort Worth where they spent many happy years. A member of River Crest Country Club, Barbara played tennis as often as she could. She volunteered at Fort Worth Country Day, Bethany’s school. Many of Bethany’s school friends will remember Barbara’s homemade bread right out of the oven, her cinnamon tea rings, and her delight in hosting all the girls in the class for slumber parties.

During that time, Barbara also became active in civic affairs. She spent hours working with the Tarrant County Food Bank and was a longtime member of Central United Methodist Church. She was a member of the Woman’s Club (La Maison) and was the secretary year after year, due of her infamously funny minutes.

Barbara was a descendant through her maternal grandmother of the well-known Nance family of Texas. She was a proud member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Barbara and Ed enjoyed many groups of friends, and she will be remembered for her gatherings and parties – especially her New Year’s parties. She formed the unofficial but decidedly humorous Citizens Restaurant Approval Panel (note it’s acronym) and started a Sunday walking group. It was with those wonderful couples that the Sartains travelled for years. Barbara and Ed loved to ski and headed to Colorado whenever they could. They also spent almost every summer in Cuchara, where the two of them had spent their honeymoon and where a great friend, Judy Michaels, had taken her as a young girl.

Barbara always had a love of tap dancing and joined Gracey Tune’s (sister of Tommy) school. She convinced friends to join, and their recitals were always spirited. Barbara also became a card-carrying clown member and corralled friends to join her. This festive crew gave of their time to the Fort Worth Children’s Hospital and other charities. “Bubbles” as she was known, was the “tap dancing bubble blowing” clown. Her grandchildren, Haddon and Parker Hughes, adored seeing their “Gigi” dressed up as a clown when she visited their school.  Barbara enjoyed attending their all sporting and school activities.

In their later years, Barbara and Ed moved to Abilene where Ed continued working as a lawyer.  Barbara was known to kayak and picnic in and around West Texas with her besties and started a group called the “Slinkies.” She volunteered with the Hardin Simmons University Six White Horses, a Western style group who have performed for millions in parades, rodeos and other functions. This reminded her of her first horse, and Barbara enjoyed volunteering her time taking the show to area public schools.

She is survived by her husband of 61 years, James Edward Sartain; daughter, Bethany Hughes McCann and her husband, Dr. Mike McCann; her grandchildren, Mary Haddon McKellar Hughes and Alton Parker Hughes II; her sister, Dr. Mary Alice Mosley; sisters in law, Lucilla Garrett, Merrily Sartain, and Dr. Sally Roden; nephews and nieces, Sophie Sartain and Roberta Grossman, Alice and Keith Sartain, Meg and John “Bo” Sartain, Booker Garrett, Molly and Matt Goren, and Rusty and Christy Mosley. She was preceded in death by her nephew, artist Walter Mosley.

A Service at the Grave will be held at Oakwood Cemetery in Fort Worth at 1 pm Sunday, December 3, followed by a reception at Ridglea Country Club from 3 to 5 p.m.

The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy be made in memory of Barbara Sartain to “The Six White Horses” at Hardin-Simmons University, 2200 Hickory Street, HSU Box 16100, Abilene, TX 79698.