TERRY KEITH “T.K.” BARBER
Terry Keith “T.K.” Barber, born on December 19, 1956 in Dexter, Missouri, passed from this life on July 28th, 2021 at Arkansas Heart Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas at the age of 64 years.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Barbara Louise Taylor of Morehouse, Missouri, his brother, Marshall Barber of Morehouse, Missouri and son-in-law, Randy Evans of El Dorado, Arkansas.
T.K. is survived by his daughters: Wendy Willis Brown, Tarah Barber Evans, and Leah Barber (Ian) Glidewell, his sister Christy Barber Crone, former spouse Brenda Woody Barber and her family which was his own, Kenneth and Dotsie Woody, Alan and Barbara Woody, Robert and Donna Hamby, nieces Melanie (Brandon) Callicott, Meagan (Steven) Minniear, nephew Christopher Crone, great-nieces Emily Callicott and Cora Crone, great-nephews Trace and Rhett Minniear and favorite traveling partner, Ashley Ewing.
He is also survived by his greatest joys, the grandchildren he was so proud of, Natasha Brown, Grace (Davis) Roden, Nathanael, Isaac and Catherine Evans, Josiah Barber, Abigail Birmingham and great-grandsons Layton Brown and Shepherd Jayroe.
After attending Gateway College of Evangelism in St. Louis, Terry and his little family began evangelizing across America. In 1985, he accepted a pastoral position in Temple, Texas. In 1995, he was called to El Dorado, Arkansas and served as pastor there for 21 years. Over the years, he saw many people come to know Jesus and experience miracles of healing and salvation. He stepped down from pastoral ministry in 2016, but he did not step away from a life of servitude. He continued to be the hands and feet of Jesus. He most often could be found ministering to those that traditional churches do not deem worthy. He was a friend of publicans and sinners.
Terry leaves behind a legacy of love and gratitude. His daughters will never forget the story of the broken teenage boy that stood out in the middle of an empty park in Morehouse, Missouri, shook his fist at a dark midnight sky and cried out desperately, “God, if you are real, send someone to tell me who you are!” The next week, a carload of Pentecostal girls pulled over to invite a friend to church. Our father and his best friend Bob stepped out of the bushes and one of the girls said, “Roll up the windows and lock the doors, there’s hippies with Russell!” They proceeded to invite the boys to service through a oneinch crack in the window. Not very many days after, Terry and Bob walked into that old church on Nelson Street. The pastor walked to the edge of the platform and looked out with a heavy heart at this young man with the hopeless eyes and said to himself, “My God, there’s no hope for that boy.” The congregation was singing that old hymn, “Come unto me, and I will give you rest…” and Terry felt a hunger for the rest that only Jesus can give. He surrendered himself to Jesus Christ and in place of that brokenness, Jesus gave him new life. A new life that was well-lived. A life not wasted. His children and grandchildren will carry out that legacy even in our grief. Although we miss his contagious laughter, his old sayings, and his quiet strength, we are comforted to know that after a life of servitude and ministry, our father is finally in the arms of his Savior, home…. where he belongs.
There will be no public service. In lieu of flowers, show the love of Jesus to someone today. Condolences may be made online at www.youngsfuneralhome.com