James Richard Barbee

James Richard Barbee, Rick, passed away peacefully on August 29, 2025, in Broken Arrow, OK. He was a hard worker, an entrepreneur and a family man who was continuously interested in learning new things and challenging himself. Rick loved to laugh and always enjoyed a good joke or funny story. He loved his family and enjoyed gathering for birthday celebrations and holidays to share stories, open presents, and of course have nice homecooked meal. Rick was born in Sapulpa, OK in 1953 to Richard and Margaret Barbee. Growing up he was involved in many activities from sports to boy scouts. In elementary and middle school, he participated in track and field and frequently brought home ribbons and trophies. He enjoyed being outdoors either camping with his boy scout troop or hunting in the woods behind his home. There were many family lake trips that involved boating, canoeing and fishing and when he lived in Louisiana crabbing trips were a fond family memory. Rick attended Memorial High School before studying Computer Science at Tulsa University. He earned 2 degrees from TU, a bachelor's in science in 1983 and a law degree in 1987. He worked at Amoco for about 16 years and then American Airlines before starting his own car repair business called CarSmart. He owned and operated CarSmart for 10 years before closing the doors and moving on to his next endeavor, financial advising and then retired from real estate appraisal. Everyone who knew Rick knew how much he loved cars, mostly American muscle cars. In 1988 he became a member of the United States Camaro Club. On the weekends you could usually find him tinkering in the garage and working on a Camaro that he was and restoring. He had a red convertible IROC-Z Camaro for many years that Allison's childhood friends still remember to this day. His car knowledge was so vast he could identify what kind of cars were driving around at night based on their headlights. While at Amoco he was on a company softball team and in a bowling league. Throughout his life he was a collector of different items, he collected sports cards, mostly baseball cards, coins and guns. He was an avid gun collector and would spend time attending gun shows looking for unique pieces to add to his collection. Rick enjoyed his childhood lake days so much that he bought a lake house and a boat to continue creating fun family memories. When the seasons changed from summer to fall you could find Rick in a recliner watching college football on the big screen. Even though his children went to Oklahoma State, and so did he for a little bit, he rooted for the Oklahoma Sooners football team. Rick is lovingly remembered by his children Jamie and Donna, Matt, Allison and Kyle, and Brock. His challenge to each of them was to be the best version of themselves that they can be and strive for excellence in everything you do. He loved being a grandfather to Samantha and treasured all the moments they had together. He will always be remembered, and he will be missed every day. His memory will live on in our hearts of all those who loved and knew him. He was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Margaret Barbee. He is survived by his siblings, Janet and Dave Hicks, Mark David and Michele Barbee, Melanie and George Shirley, Mary Beth and Ralph Winslow, and Jennifer Bowers, his cousins, Charles Sanders and Kim Jackson, and Ursula and Randy Waln, his children Jamie and Donna Barbee, Matt Barbee, Allison and Kyle Bersche, and Brock Barbee and grandchildren Samantha Barbee and Mia Barbee. He is also remembered fondly by many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. A memorial service will be held on Friday, September 12th, 2025, at 10am at Moore Southlawn Chapel

James Richard Barbee

March 15, 1953 - August 29, 2025