Barbara Anne Giles

Barbara Anne Johnson Giles, age 88, passed away peacefully at her residence, surrounded by her loving family, on December 20th, 2020. Barbara was born on August 27th, 1932 in Thompsonville, IL to Mary and Robert Johnson. She was delivered by her paternal grandfather, William Logan Johnson. She spent a portion of her childhood as a dancer and enamored her younger sister, Janet, with each of her luxurious, adorned costumes. She graduated from Central High School in Oklahoma City in 1951. She met her future husband, Walter C. "Duke" Giles while they were working as grocery checkers at the Humpty Dumpty grocery store in The Village, OKC. Walt was the "fastest checker" in the area and naturally Barbara instantly fell in love. They married on August 12, 1955 in OKC, OK. She graduated in 1955 from the University of Oklahoma and began her teaching career while Walt finished out his final year in college. Barbara went on to teach 5th grade math for over 40 years. Her academic style was one of warmth and rigor and we can personally attest that there are generations of Baby Boomers and Gen-X'ers who actually understand fractions. You'd be hard-pressed to find a teacher that was as disciplined and strict as Barbara, but you would find it even harder to find one as caring and adored as she was. She has three children: Steve, Tag, and Pam. While raising her children, she completed a Master's at the University of Central Oklahoma (formerly known as Central State University). A difficult feat for some, but completely manageable for the organized and measured Barbara. As the years went by, she accrued 10 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. She would frequently treat her grandchildren to trips to McDonald's, games of Memory, dominoes, and Tripoley, incredible diagonal-cut sandwiches, a couple Tootsie pops, lime or orange sherbet, and the occasional math-tutoring session for the struggling fifth grader. She was an avid OU fan and rarely missed a game. When Walt passed, they had been married 53 years. And she cherished every single one of them. Always generous and conscientious, there was never a birthday she forgot. Barbara passed the day before what would have been Walt's 87th birthday. It is obvious she made sure she could celebrate with him this year. She is survived by OK sons, Steven Giles and wife, Kelly of Edmond, OK and Timothy "Tag" Giles and wife, Judy of Jenks, OK and daughter, Pamela Crawford and husband, Brian of Tulsa, OK grandchildren: Brent Giles and wife, Emily, Leslie Giles, Katherine Giles, Taylor Rainwater and Husband, Nick, Nicholas Giles, Rebecca Giles, Alex Crawford, Elizabeth Giles, Preston Crawford, and Halle Giles and great-grandchildren: Olivia and Brooklyn Giles, Lily Hufnagel, and Jase and Crew Rainwater; and her sister, Janet Griffin. She was preceded in death by her husband Walter, her brother Gary, and her parents, Mary and Robert. A private ceremony for the family will be held on Sunday, December 27th at Moore Funeral Home, 9350 E 51st, Tulsa, OK 74145. There will be a celebration of life in the spring for anyone who would like to join. Date to be announced in 2021. She was a beloved wife, daughter, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, teacher and friend. She will be profoundly missed.

Barbara Anne Giles

August 27, 1932 - December 20, 2020