Barbara Moseley Segrest
Barbara Moseley Segrest, 78, of Ooltewah, passed away Wednesday, February 19, 2020.
Barbara was born to the late Clyde and Mary Moseley in Montpelier, Mississippi. She graduated from the Mississippi University for Women with a BS in Elementary Education and later earned her MS in Elementary Administration from Tennessee Tech. Barbara taught in public elementary schools for over 25 years in Florida, California, Texas, and Tennessee. She taught for over 10 years at Mountain Oaks Elementary School in Tennessee.
While teaching in Pensacola, Florida, Barbara met 2LT Robert W. Segrest, USMCR, during his flight training. They fell in love and married on November 30, 1963. Soon after, she pinned his Naval aviator wings, and the two were off to Southern California where he was stationed as a Marine helicopter pilot. For four years, Bob flew, Barbara taught, and they were active in their church. In August 1965, their son, Ward, was born, and six months later, Bob was sent to Vietnam for 13 months. Barbara cared for Ward, taught school, and deepened in her faith in God as the wife of a Marine combat pilot. Bob returned home and began seminary in Texas in 1967. Barbara gave birth to their daughter, Melanie, in Texas in 1968.
In the following years, Barbara was a mother, pastor’s wife, and teacher in Texas, Tennessee and Florida. Bob, with Barbara right by his side, served as Pastor at Concord Baptist Church for 12 ½ years. In 1998, they returned to Chattanooga when Bob became the Eastern Regional VP of the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes and Barbara retired from teaching and joined Bob in ministry to abused and abandoned children. In 2007, both Bob and Barbara were diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. She succumbed to Parkinson’s Disease in 2020 after a short illness, as Bob held her hand.
She loved serving as a mother, grandmother, teacher, and pastor’s wife. She was a member of Ridgedale Baptist Church and was an avid gardener and bird watcher.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Judy Pate.
Barbara is survived by her husband of 56 years, Robert Segrest; her son, Ward Segrest; her daughter, Melanie (Mark) Robinson; grandsons, Wesley, Tanner, and Colby Robinson and Jackson Segrest; sister, Betty Clyde McKee; brothers-in-law; sisters-in-law; nephews, nieces and cousins.
Funeral services will be held on at 1 p.m. Wednesday, February 26, at Ridgedale Baptist Church, 1831 Hickory Valley Road, Chattanooga, TN 37421. Interment will follow at the Chattanooga National Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home, in memory of Barbara Segrest, 6623 Lee Highway, Chattanooga, TN 37421.
The family will receive friends starting at 12 noon Wednesday, February 26, at Ridgedale Baptist Church.
Arrangements are by Heritage Funeral Home, 7454 East Brainerd Road, Chattanooga, TN 37421.