Barbara Padgette, a long-time resident of Atlanta and Flowery Branch, passed away peacefully in the presence of family on Monday, July 12th.
Barbara was born in Albemarle, NC to Paul and Cornell Rogers on July 26, 1935, and she met the love of her life, Doug Padgette, in high school in Saluda, SC. The cheerleader and beauty queen Barbara and the athlete, engineer and future pilot Doug were married in 1955, after college at Winthrop and Clemson, respectively. After Air Force duty, the couple moved to Burlington NC where their two sons were born, then Orlando, FL, Princeton, NJ, and finally, Atlanta, GA. They retired to Lake Lanier in 1994.
Barbara loved traveling and having fun, going on cruises, beach vacations, golf vacations, Las Vegas trips, and many houseboating weekends, as well as going to and organizing countless subdivision parties with neighbors. Barbara’s love of boating opened a whole new world for the family, and the memories of Lake Lanier and their many close friendships were always a source of immense pleasure for both Barbara and Doug. Barbara loved nothing more than cruising the lake with Doug, their family, and friends.
Barbara is best described as one of the kindest, classiest, and most beautiful women any of her family and friends ever met. She devoted her life to her family, and her two sons perhaps benefited above all others. Barbara created, and co-created with Doug, a family-centric, friend-centric environment that all kids, spouses and friends wanted to be in. Barbara put the exclamation point in her hospitality through her cooking, and favorites included pecan pie, lemon meringue pie, chocolate delight, tuna fish salad, and margaritas. Barbara and Doug’s warm household on Lake Lanier was especially appreciated by the grandkids and their friends, where a good meal was usually in preparation upon return from a day of skiing and lake activities.
Barbara was preceded in death in 2019 by Doug, her husband of 64 years. Barbara is survived by her sister, Cheryl Efird, of Norwood, NC, her sister Paula Shedd, of Norwood, NC, her son Steve Padgette and wife Dominique Francx of Steamboat Springs, CO and Flowery Branch, GA, her son Mark and wife Michelle Padgette of Dacula, GA, and grandchildren Chris Padgette of St. Petersburg, FL, Lauren Deavenport of Bangkok, Thailand, Eric Padgette of Denver, CO, Hannah Padgette of Boulder, CO, Alec Padgette of Atlanta, GA, Erika Padgette of Dacula, GA, and great-granddaughter Hadley Deavenport of Bangkok, Thailand. Barbara’s love for Doug and her family will live on forever.
Funeral services will be held on Sunday, July 18, at 2:00 pm in the Chapel of Flanigan’s Funeral Home, preceded by visitation from 12:30 – 2:00 pm. Interment will be held in Saluda, SC on Tuesday, July 20 at 2:00 pm at Emory United Methodist Church. To express condolences, please sign our online guest book at flaniganfuneralhome.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Flanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Buford.
The Service will be Livestreamed and will be available on the Flanigan Funeral Home website at: www.flaniganfuneralhome.com (the Livestream will be available for viewing even after the Service has taken place). To access, go to “Obits” and find the name “Barbara R. Padgette” and look in the area of “photos and tributes”.
To express condolences, please sign our online guest book at www.flaniganfuneralhome.com. Arrangements By: Junior E. Flanigan of Flanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Buford, GA (770) 932-1133.
