Ms. Barbara Ann Martin

Barbara Ann Martin, age 84, of Brandon, Mississippi, passed away on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, surrounded by loved ones. Barbara was born on August 25, 1941, in Jackson, Mississippi, to John Martin, Sr. and Mercedes DeSilvey Martin. She was married to Bobby George Parkman for 21 years, and together they made their home in Brandon, where they raised their three children: Adam, Sherry, and Monica. Barbara was deeply devoted to her relationship with the Lord and spent countless hours studying the Bible and sharing God’s Word with others. Her faith was the foundation of her life, and she expressed it through a lifelong commitment to serving both God and people. She dedicated much of her adult life to volunteer work at The Crisis Line, the VA Hospital, and Peachtree Nursing Home. She was also actively involved in prison ministries, regularly visited and assisted the elderly, taught a weekly Bible study at the Brandon Senior Center, and faithfully served as a Sunday School teacher at Grace Baptist Church. Barbara never forgot where she came from. She openly shared her testimony of being saved by God from a life shaped by brokenness and struggle, and of how her faith transformed her completely. Because of this, she felt a special calling to reach others facing similar challenges. She intentionally ministered to individuals in drug and alcohol recovery programs, those impacted by incarceration, and anyone who felt overlooked or forgotten. Even as her health declined, Barbara continued to share her faith and witness to others, including members of her hospice care team, until her body no longer allowed her to do so. Barbara’s passions extended well beyond her service to others and were deeply rooted in creativity and faith. She found great joy in crafting, cooking, and art, and she had a remarkable ability to take a blank canvas or an empty cupboard and transform it into something beautiful. Everything she created carried meaning and was often thoughtfully connected to the Word of God. A self-taught artist, Barbara especially loved painting portraits, drawn to the challenge of capturing not just a likeness but the depth and emotion of the moment. Her artwork reflected her faith, her wisdom, her compassion, and her unique ability to see beauty and purpose in everything around her — qualities for which she will always be remembered. Barbara is survived by her three children: Adam Parkman, Sherry Boyd, and Monica Corley; her grandchildren: Brooke Stuart, Christopher Parkman, Kathrine Blake Hewitt, Jyssie Nicole Knowles, and Shaylen Corley; and her great-grandchildren: Madison Hewitt, Jerianna Hewitt, McKenna Stuart, Wesson Stuart, Kimber Parkman, Jacob Parkman, Kaison Parkman, and Oakley Parkman. She was preceded in death by her father, John Martin, Sr.; her mother, Mercedes DeSilvey Martin; her brothers, John Martin Jr., Elwood Martin, and George Martin; and her daughter, Donna Mauria Parkman

Ms. Barbara Ann Martin

August 25, 1941 - February 4, 2026