Sandra Kay Barringer

Sandra Kay Hudgens Barringer, known as “Gran” by many, passed away comfortably and peacefully in the presence of loved ones on Friday, July 17, 2020, in Little Rock, Arkansas. Whether in feast or famine, Sandra could wring joy out of life and made a point to get a smile and a laugh out of everyone she met. In her 78 years on this earth, she never met a stranger, and she never encountered a situation that she could not capture with a succinct folksy turn-of-phrase - of her own invention, as often as not. Born in Pascagoula, Mississippi, on February 2, 1942, Sandra grew up in Malvern, Arkansas. Sandra would travel to 42 states, Canada, and Mexico, and dreamt of traveling around the world and visiting the Trevi Fountain in Rome.

Sandra married the love of her life, Perry Ralph Barringer, and moved to Bismarck, where she had two beautiful girls, Tonya Renee Barringer and Rhonda Kaye Barringer Colberg. A natural and wonderful caretaker, she acquired her LPN license while raising her children and caring for elderly family members. She was a lifelong active member of the United Methodist Church. Sandra loved playing piano, and she offered up her musical gifts for Sunday morning worship service for many, many years. Sandra was a member of the Bismarck United Methodist Church for more than 25 years, but she never missed a homecoming at her beloved home church, Keith Memorial, in Malvern. Sandra taught piano lessons at home and held twice-yearly recitals open to the community.

Sandra loved singing, whether at church or at home, and encouraged everyone to “sing loud!” Sandra had loved dancing since she was a little girl. She loved watching dancing shows and watched ice-skating whenever it was on television. She was game for most any movie or show that wasn’t “morbid,” whether it was The King and I or Rambo or anything with Tom Selleck, and she could read a romance novel a day if it was “real good.” She was an experienced seamstress who made and mended clothes for her family. She loved sitting on the porch and watching her cardinals and bluejays, tending to her flowers and houseplants, shopping through the sale papers, browsing magazines, and talking on her “little phone.” She loved games, especially cards, and was never known to pass up a game of Canasta, Spite and Malice, or a Canasta weekend with her sister and cousins (though she usually could not play without being suspected of inventing a new rule or two mid-game).

In her final months, she discovered the joys of working on puzzles while watching Netflix nonstop, teaching her granddaughter Whitney Elaine Barringer how to use her sewing machine, learning to FaceTime, and inventing a dozen little doodads and thingamajigs to make her life easier and more comfortable in hospice. Up until the very end, Sandra loved to give others a “hard time” with jokes and gentle jabs, because, as she always said, “Someone’s got to give you a hard time, and if I don’t, who will?” Even so, Sandra was proud of and doted on her granddaughter, Whitney. She always said she could “never wear buttons” for fear she would “bust them wide open” with pride.

Sandra spent most moments of the day caring for, thinking about, talking to, praying for, or checking up on other people. If she knew someone’s name and anything about them, chances were the were never far from her mind. When she was still able to drive, she crisscrossed the county and sometimes the state to visit, sit with, and caretake for family, friends, and family of friends. Her last days were spent on the phone, calling and checking in with friends and family, and telling them she loved them. She loved enormously and was enormously loved, and she will be enormously missed.

Sandra is preceded in death by and will be buried alongside her husband, Perry Ralph Barringer of Bismarck, and her daughter, Tonya Renee Barringer of Malvern. She was also preceded by her grandparents Hugh Inglis (Pop) and Ruby Cormack Inglis (Mom) of Malvern, and Ruby Lee Hudgens, Sr. (Daddy Rube) and Myrtle Jordan Hudgens (Mama Myrtle) of Humnoke; her parents, Rubye Lee Hudgens and Mildred Inglis Hudgens of Malvern; her cousin Iola “Olie” Cormack; and her much-loved first cousins Barbara Jean Hudgens Swaim of England and Fred Julian Wilkinson of Plano.

Sandra is survived by her beloved daughter, Rhonda Kaye Barringer Colberg, and adored son-and-law, Michael John Colberg, of Bismarck; her granddaughter, Whitney Elaine Barringer of Little Rock; her sister, Diane Elaine Lowy of Dallas; her nieces Adrianne Ramey Ferguson (Tucson) and Mary Lowy Klein (Dallas); her nephew, Jonathan Lowy (Dallas); her first cousin, Lindi Johnson (Rogers), and her husband Mark and children Graci and P.J.; first cousin William “Bill” Hudgens (Little Rock), his children Josh Hudgens and Devin Hudgens, and his wife Jean Rolfs; and the Swaims – Christian and Kim and children Connor, Joseph and Kaitlin; Edward and Anna and children James and John; and Matthew and his children Allie, Andrew, and Claire.

Sandra is also survived by a long list of dear friends and “adopted” children and grandchildren too long to name, but those of special note in the last chapter of her life include Dawn Cansler, Patience Cauffiel, Acadia Roher, Marlane McClain Kersenbrock, Pat Walker, Pastor Gail Baldwin, Joel Gillaspie, Arvin and Leola Booy, and, last but not least, her “sweet baby” dog, Lil Man.

Sandra’s remains will be cremated, as she requested, with a family-only graveside service. Her honorary pallbearers are Bill Hudgens, Josh Hudgens, Christian Swaim, Edward Swaim, Matthew Swaim, and Jonathan Lowy.

The family will be holding a memorial service at Sandra’s home in Bismarck at a future date. To ensure the gathering is as safe as possible, the family will determine when the fall COVID-19 peak will pass to announce a memorial service date. To receive information regarding the memorial service, where to make donations in Sandra’s name, to share memories of Sandra for the memorial service, or to contact the family with your condolences, please visit sandrabarringermemorial.com. Cremation arrangements entrusted to Atkinson Funeral Home. Please visit our website at www.atkinsonfuneralhome.net