Barbara Jean Abel Haney, 83, aka Purple Gram, went to her eternal heavenly home on Thursday, June 15, 2023. She was surrounded by her loving family. She was a daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend.
Barbara was born in Phillipsburg, New Jersey on October 13, 1939 and graduated from Phillipsburg High School in 1957. She is predeceased by her husband, John Haney; father, Leon Albert Able; mother, Helen Margaret Takacs (Able) Powers; step-father John F. Powers; brother, Edward Charles Abel; grandson, Scott Michael Haney, Jr; and beloved dog, Chumley.
She is survived by her daughter Sue Anne Haney Mayhew (Michael); sons John Edward (Jack) Haney, Scott Michael Haney, Sr, Jerome Leon (Jerry) Haney, and John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt; granddaughters Lindsey Rae Chapman Howe (Scott), Amanda Rose Haney; grandsons Stephen Matthew (Matt) Chapman, Jr, Jordan Lee Haney (Courtney), John Joseph (Joey) Haney, John Crews Haney; great granddaughters Brooke Anne Howe, Breelyn Prasert Howe; great grandsons, James Ryan (Jimmy) Howe, Levi James Smith, Kade Jaxson Rodriguez, and Judson Lee Haney.
Barbara was a founding member of The Nifty Fifty Club in Greenville, North Carolina which still meets today. She volunteered at the Pitt County Council on Aging, She volunteered in the craft room and taught crafts to the elderly which we got a chuckle out of because she herself was elderly. She was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. She collected newspapers for the local SPCA and egg cartons for the local egg farmers. She regularly dropped off a large (Sam’s size) box of Peppermint Patties at the post office.
A Celebration of Life service will be held on August 19, 2023 at 11:00am at Essential Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia. In addition, there will be a Celebration of Life service at Hollywood Presbyterian Church in Greenville, North Carolina at a later date.
Please do not send flowers or plants. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Meals on Wheels or Tunnel to Towers.