Barbara Schrader

Barbara Jean Chance was born in Overton, Texas on June 24, 1936 to Gladys Mae Mullen Chance and Lavis Crocket Chance and left to join her Lord on January 12, 2021. She grew up as the middle child in the oilfields of East Texas, with her brother Jack and sister Patricia. She attended Gaston High School where she was Drum Major in the band and graduated Salutatorian in 1954.

Barbara went on to Kilgore College where she was a proud member of the Rangerettes as Lieutenant, a Rangerette Swingster and was voted a Ranger Beauty for 2 years. She graduated with an Associates of Art Degree in 1956. Upon graduation she married Bill Ewing and they moved to College Station while he finished his degree at Texas A&M. Upon graduation, Bill joined the Navy and they were stationed in Guam for two years, where their daughter Cheryl was born in 1959. After active duty in the Navy, Barbara and Bill decided to make Mesquite, Texas their home, where they welcomed their son Steve in 1965.

Barbara loved Mesquite and made many life-long friends while living on Riggs Circle. She was a member of the Triskelions Club, was part of an active Bridge group, was very involved in PTA at her children’s schools, and was the room mother at Florence Black Elementary many times. She never missed an activity that her children were involved in, and spent countless hours at dance recitals, piano recitals, BMX motor cross events, swim meets, soccer games, pep rallies and basketball and football games. Barbara loved being a homemaker and few were as accomplished or successful at cheerfully running a home that always provided emotional support, home cooked meals and a seemingly endless supply of freshly made cookies that she loved to offer to neighbors and to friends of her children’s. It was rare to enter her home without smelling freshly baked Snickerdoodles.

Barbara started a new phase of her life after her children graduated high school. She worked at Linz Jewelers and Bachendorf’s Jewelers for many years and used her charisma, gentle ways and excellent taste to grow a loyal customer base that relied on her to help select memorable jewelry for their loved ones for special occasions. When not working, she closely followed Florida Gator football, where her son Steve played.

The favorite phase of Barbara’s life started when she became a Grandma. She loved each of her five grandchildren and always put them and her family first. During this time, she married George Schrader and they set up a home together where they had many sleepovers with their grandchildren, often making them chicken and dumplings, cinnamon rolls and fancy breakfasts, teaching them how to bake cookies and attending all of their extracurricular activities. From tennis tournaments, gymnastics meets, to football games, Barbara and George were always in the stands.

Barbara is preceded in death by her favorite grandmother Lula Tucker (Ma Gee) her parents Gladys and Lavis Chance, her sister Pat Chance Williams and her husband Allen, her brother Jack L. Chance, her baby brother Ray LeDon Chance, and her husband George R. Schrader. She is survived by her daughter Cheryl Ewing Rozes, her son Steve Ewing and grandchildren Abby Zidell, Ashley Zidell, Sydney Ewing, Raylee Ewing and Hudson Ewing. She also leaves behind a niece Jana Williams Jannasch, nephew Chance Williams and her favorite cousin Charlie Hanes.

Barbara will forever be remembered for her never-ending huge smile, her genuine kindness and gentle ways, her beauty, fashion sense, excellent homemaking skills, positive outlook, love of sports, love of cookies and sweets and Diet Cokes, ability to be The Lieutenant and “in charge” many years after the Rangerettes, skill of always being the best hostess, love of the color pink, love and importance of always wearing lipstick, classy and ladylike ways in all circumstances and sincerely and deeply loving her friends and family.

Donations may be made to:

Kilgore College Rangerettes

Barbara Chance Ewing Schrader Left End Lt. Scholarship 

Parkinson Voice Project  (To preserve the voices of individuals with Parkinson’s and related neurological disorders through intensive speech therapy and support) 

For those unable to attend the service in-person, Barbara's family has arranged for the service to be Live Streamed. You may join the service by clicking on this link.