Barbara J. Tapley Crain

Barbara J. Tapley Crain

On January 16, 2016, Barbara J. Tapley Crain, 87 from Fort Pierce, Florida, passed away peacefully at home in Bowie, Maryland. Born May 18, 1928, Barbara was the only child of Alta N. Watt and William H. Johnson. She spent her childhood in Summertown, Georgia and followed her parents' vocation, teaching school first in Camden County, Georgia, where she met and married her first husband, Samuel P. Tapley, Jr. Barbara touched the lives of a great many south Georgia children, teaching English, poetry and creative writing at White Oak Elementary School.

Like a great many people, Barbara's family moved to Florida in the 1960's, as the "space race" began. In Merritt Island, she began a whole new phase of her life as she taught English, first at Edgewood and then at Jefferson Jr. High, eventually taking the reins as the English Department Chair at Jefferson. She also began a new life as Mrs. Ronald Crain, in 1984, marrying Ronald Lee Crain, who had helped establish NASA's photography department during the 1960's.

Barbara and Ron moved to Fort Pierce, Florida in 1994, where they were active members of the First United Methodist Church and spent may happy summers and holidays entertaining visiting children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and friends.

Barbara was predeceased by her husband, Ron Crain. She is loved and remembered by her three children, Kay Tapley, Sam Tapley, his wife Jacque, and Barbara Alan Puccio and her husband Joe; 4 grandchildren, James Tapley and his wife Katy, Angela Scott, her husband Travis, Katy Puccio and Carrie Lee; and 5 great grandchildren, Savannah, Shelby, Kaya, Malachi and Jahnoah. As well as family members Linda Tapley and Eddie Van Vaerenbergh.

Memorial Service will be held at 4 p.m. on February 13, 2016 at Haisley Funeral Home in Ft Pierce. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the American Diabetes Association or Hospice of the Chesapeake, 9500 Arena Drive, Suite 250, Largo, Maryland 20774.