Barbara Mary Masters Rogers obituary

Barbara Mary Masters Rogers of Blackfork, Arkansas was born Sept. 23, 1930 in Johnson City, New York. She quietly passed into the next life on Nov. 22, 2025. She was 95 years old.

She was a long-time member of The Immaculate Conception Church in Poteau.

Graveside service is 10 a.m. Dec. 5 at the Piney Cemetery with Ed Rogers officiating. Burial will follow under the care of Dowden-Roberts Funeral Home of Heavener.

When Barbara was a young woman of 17, she met a WW2 veteran, fresh home from the war. He was stuck in a ditch. He wooed her, and they were soon married, forever stuck on each other. Russ always said she was his savior. She brought sunshine to him. Barbara grew up in a relatively small, quiet family. One wonders if she knew that her desire to have a dozen kids would be so wild, crazy, trying, and often hard. But she never complained.

She was a wife of many occupations: farmer, mechanic, logger, junk man, beekeeper, heavy equipment operator, and whatever else Russ conjured up. Barbara, as a faithful wife, quietly followed, never complaining. Never complaining that her house was not finished or that the junk yard kept encroaching on her space.

Barbara had her dream all around her, her children. Time passed, and it took her from the frigid cold of New York to the sweltering humidity of Florida. Sometimes living in tents and campgrounds until they settled in a little house in the Ocala National Forest. All the while, Barbara never complained. It wasn’t easy raising a passel of kids in the backwoods of Florida; everyone worked hard, and Barbara saw to it that there were stacks of food on the table, the house always clean, and no one wore clothes that weren’t ironed first. All the while, she never complained. Besides her love for babies, flowers, and all kinds of music , Barbara was a 4-H leader, a faithful blood donor, an avid reader, and a doll collector. She even took time to learn to play the piano. As her children grew, and with just 6 left at home, Barbara decided to get a job!!!

She worked for the U.S. Forrest Service, Carried mail for the U.S. Postal Service for 20 years. That route was 100 miles long. All the while she did her quiet things, she supported her husband in his bigger things, and she never complained.

In 1974, they bought a farm in Black Fork, Arkansas, where they would eventually live their remaining years. Barbara did not want to leave Florida, but she followed her husband. She quickly grew to love the people in Black Fork, and they loved her.

After Russ passed on, Barbara became a social butterfly. She traveled to see family. She loved to go to church, cowboy church, the Little Theater in Mena, and any family gathering or fire department social. She loved being with people.

Looking back over Barbara’s life, one will wonder, did she fulfil her dreams? Did she live the life she wanted? She did, and so much more, for Barbara Mary Masters Rogers became the matriarch and builder of an ever-growing tribe. And maybe someday, a book will be written about her.

Survivors are 11 children Patricia Caren of Brooker, Florida, George Rogers and his wife Becky of Hurstboro, Alabama, Edward Rogers and his wife  Patrice of Octavia, Janette Hamblen and her husband Mike of Summerfield, Florida, William Rogers and his wife Mendy of Wiggins, Mississippi, Sue Kreikemeier and her husband Terry of Garfield, Washington, Juanita Kikendall and her husband Mike of Scrambletown, Florida, Elaine Staines of Black Fork, Lorraine Nordmeyer and her husband John of Djibouti, Africa, Rebecca Roberts and her husband Lonnie of Black Fork,  and Bonnie Grundel and her husband Don of Baker, Florida; one brother Joseph Masters and his wife Gloria of New York; Many nieces and nephews; Barbara was the proud grandmother of 54 grandchildren, 88 great-grandchildren, and 10 great-great-grandchildren (A total of 152 and counting).

She was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Russell Rogers; an infant daughter, Maryann Rogers; her parents, Oscar Josheph Masters and Evelyn Mary (Dumont) Masters; two sisters, Joyce (Masters) LaClair of New York and Carolyn Masters, also of New York; son-in-law, Roy Staines; 3 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

The family would like to give 2 more options if you would like to donate, which were recipients of Barbara’s place of donations for years. They are 1. PreBorn!  https://preborn.baby/july4th and 2. Relief work in East Africa: https://donorbox.org/local-initiatives-for-education.

Viewing is from noon until 5 p.m., Dec. 4. The family will visit with friends from 3 to 5 p.m., Dec. 4 at the funeral home.

To sign Barbara’s online guestbook please visit www.dowdenrobertsfuneralhome.com.

Graveside service is 10 a.m. Dec. 5, 2025 at the Piney Cemetery with Ed Rogers officiating. Burial will follow under the care of Dowden-Roberts Funeral Home of Heavener.

She was a long-time member of The Immaculate Conception Church in Poteau.

When Barbara was a young woman of 17, she met a World War 2 veteran, fresh home from the war. He was stuck in a ditch. He wooed her, and they were soon married, forever stuck on each other. Russ always said she was his savior. She brought sunshine to him.

Barbara grew up in a relatively small, quiet family. One wonders if she knew that her desire to have a dozen kids would be so wild, crazy, trying, and often hard. But she never complained.

She was a wife of many occupations: farmer, mechanic, logger, junk man, beekeeper, heavy equipment operator, and whatever else Russ conjured up. Barbara, as a faithful wife, quietly followed, never complaining. Never complaining that her house was not finished or that the junk yard kept encroaching on her space.

Barbara had her dream all around her, her children. Time passed, and it took her from the frigid cold of New York to the sweltering humidity of Florida. Sometimes living in tents and campgrounds until they settled in a little house in the Ocala National Forest. All the while, Barbara never complained. It wasn’t easy raising a passel of kids in the backwoods of Florida; everyone worked hard, and Barbara saw to it that there were stacks of food on the table, the house always clean, and no one wore clothes that weren’t ironed first. All the while, she never complained.

Besides her love for babies, flowers, and all kinds of music, Barbara was a 4-H leader, a faithful blood donor, an avid reader, and a doll collector. She even took time to learn to play the piano.

As her children grew, and with just six left at home, Barbara decided to get a job.

She worked for the U.S. Forrest Service, Carried mail for the U.S. Postal Service for 20 years. That route was 100 miles long. All the while she did her quiet things, she supported her husband in his bigger things, and she never complained.

In 1974, they bought a farm in Black Fork, Arkansas, where they would eventually live their remaining years. Barbara did not want to leave Florida, but she followed her husband. She quickly grew to love the people in Black Fork, and they loved her.

After Russ passed on, Barbara became a social butterfly. She traveled to see family. She loved to go to cowboy church, the Little Theater in Mena, and any family gathering or fire department social. She loved being with people.

Looking back over Barbara’s life, one will wonder, did she fulfil her dreams? Did she live the life she wanted? She did, and so much more, for Barbara Mary Masters Rogers became the matriarch and builder of an ever-growing tribe. And maybe someday, a book will be written about her.

Surviving family members are 11 children Patricia Caren of Brooker, Florida; George Rogers and his wife Becky of Hurstboro, Alabama; Edward Rogers and his wife Patrice of Octavia; Janette Hamblen and her husband Mike of Summerfield, Florida; Sue Kriekemier and her husband Terry of Garfield, Washington;  Juanita Kikendall and her husband Mike of Scrambletown, Florida; Elaine Staines of Black Fork, Arkansas; Lorraine Nordmeyer and her husband John of Djibouti, Africa; Rebecca Roberts and her husband Lonnie of Black Fork; and Bonnie Grundel and her husband Don of Baker, Florida; one brother Joseph Masters and his wife Gloria of New York; many nieces and nephews; 54 grandchildren, 88 great-grandchildren, and 10 great-great-grandchildren (A total of 152 and counting).

She was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Russell Rogers; an infant daughter, Maryann; her parents Oscar and Evelyn Masters; two sisters Joyce LaClair of New York and Carolyn Masters, also of New York; son-in-law, Roy Staines; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Viewing is from noon until 5 p.m. Dec. 4, 2025. The family will visit with friends from 3 to 5 p.m. Dec. 4, 2025 at the funeral home.

To sign Barbara’s online guestbook please visit www.dowdenrobertsfuneralhome.com.