Marita J. Barnett

Marita June Barnett was born April 22, 1934, in an old adobe ranch house, built in the 1800's, in Hale County Texas, Cotton Center community, to Clark Alexander and Albaree McKnight. She graduated from Cotton Center High School in 1951, barely seventeen years old. Marita attended Abilene Christian College in Abilene, Texas, as a freshman.

At the end of her freshman year, she rode the train to her parents' new ranch home near West Plains, Missouri. She worked on the ranch until Joe Wood, her high school sweetheart, made rank in the US Air Force, at which time they could be married. He, like many young men, joined the Air Force during his sophomore year at Abilene Christian College.

Amazingly, Joe received a ten-day leave, and he and Marita were married in the Hale Center Church of Christ on December 16t, 1952. They moved to Albuquerque New Mexico, and lived at the Kirkland Air Force Base, then on to Chitose Air Force Base in Hokkaido, Japan. Their first son, Steve, arrived on March 23, 1954.

After Joe was sent to Japan, Marita was determined to join him. Everyone told her that she should not go and that it was not even possible, but on January 11,1955, seven months after Joe had been sent, she and their baby son, Steve, joined Joe on the snow-covered island of Hokkaido and lived in a Japanese village there. Later, they lived in base housing and welcomed baby girl, Pam, into their family, while still living in Japan.

In 1957 son, Phil, was born in Lubbock, Texas, and in 1961 daughter, Patty, was born in Cairo, Illinois.

Marita loved being a full-time wife and mother. Once, while attending a business conference with Joe, she needed a "title" and proudly wrote "Grandmother" on her nametag, to the delight of those in attendance.

Eventually she took some college classes at Emporia State University, taught Behavior Education at Nutri System Weight Loss Clinic, and taught school in several places. She also started her own Antique and Estate Appraisal Business.

Always staying active, she was a lifetime swimmer and gardener. She was an avid reader and especially loved reading about World War II, Texas, and Oklahoma history, and nature.

In her later years she enjoyed teaching laughter Yoga and taking long walks around Oklahoma Christian University and the Teal Ridge community. She loved the flowers in her backyard. She loved doing all kinds of volunteer work at Memorial Road Church of Christ, where she had most recently attended.

Marita grew up in a strong Church of Christ family, several generations back, with great, great grandfather Avery being a circuit riding preacher. Many of her relatives had gone to Abilene Christian College decades before she did.

Marita gives much of the credit for her integrity, love of the Lord, and love of nature to her Grandmother McKnight who lived on the adjoining farm when Marata was a child. She loved farm and ranch life, thoroughly enjoying working with her dad, driving a tractor, and working cattle, sheep, and hogs, and she always had her own horse.

She and Joe enjoyed camping out with the family and later became avid backpackers and hikers. She hiked the Grand Canyon four times and hiked in many places around the US and in Kenya.

She loved studying God's word, spent many years as a bible class teacher and speaker, was a missionary supporter, and was a supporter of Christian education, especially at Oklahoma Christian University. All four of her children had attended school there, as well as her son-in-law, daughter-in-law, and some of her grandchildren.

She had a special heart for visiting shut ins and the elderly after caring for her own elderly_ mother for many years.

Marita loved travelling and many of her travels were for family events. Marita said she must have gone to a hundred grandchildren's graduations and weddings and loved them all!

In 2003, Joe passed away. In 2005, Marita married Don Barnett. They lived in Hanford, California, and Edmond, Oklahoma. They enjoyed travelling extensively, including two missionary trips to Africa. Don passed away in 2021.

Marita lived in eight states and Japan, enjoying all the challenges and adventures of moving to new places.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Joe Wood, after 51 years of marriage and her second husband, Don Barnett, after 16 years of marriage, her cherished sister, Joy, and her cherished son, Phil.

She is survived by her much-loved children and their spouses, Stephen Keith Wood and wife, Connie, of Amarillo, Texas, Pamela Gail Branscum and husband, Cary, also of Amarillo, Texas, daughter, Patricia June Wood, of Dunedin, Florida, and daughter-in-law, Diana Wood, of Arcadia, Oklahoma. She is also survived by ten grandchildren, eighteen great grandchildren, and many cherished nieces and nephews.

Memorial service will be at 3:00 PM, Saturday, August 23, 2025 at Center Plains Cemetery Pavillion in Hale County, TX. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors.

"This is a journey that we all must take. And each must go alone. It is all a part of the Master's plan; a step on the road to home. Just think of all those loved ones waiting for me, ready for a big hug! Miss me, but let me go. Bury your sorrow in good deeds and loving each other and rejoicing with me!"

"I love you all with all my heart, Mom"