Barbara Jean Margaret Westbrook

Barbara Jean Margaret Westbrook, a beloved mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully on January 24, 2025, in Belton, Texas. Born on January 18, 1932, in Akron, Ohio, Barbara lived a life rich in love, adventure, and family.

A service to honor Barbara will be held at a later date and she will be laid to rest beside her husband at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen. 

Barbara graduated from Topeka High School and began her career at Sears & Roebuck. However, her true calling came when she met and married her soldier, Fred Westbrook, at the age of 24. Together they navigated the challenges of military life, living in places such as Ohio, Kansas, California, Germany, and finally Texas. During their time in Germany, Barbara took advantage of the opportunity to travel across Europe, creating lasting memories that she cherished throughout her life. After Fred's retirement from Fort Hood, they made their home in Belton, where her heart remained ever devoted to her family.

Barbara dedicated herself to keeping house and raising her children with love and nurturing care. Her family was her pride and joy, and her proudest accomplishments were the children she reared: Linda Jean Johnson and her husband Gary of El Campo, Texas; Susan Marie Allen and her husband John of Belton; Cheri Ann Loew and her husband Brian of Temple; and Dan William Westbrook and his wife Jennifer of Salado. Each child carries a piece of her spirit with them, and her memory will forever be woven into the fabric of their lives.

Known for her incredible homemade desserts, Barbara ensured that the warmth of sweet treats always filled her home, bringing comfort and joy to all who visited. Family vacations were a treasured tradition, as she instilled in her children a love for exploration and adventure, hoping they would experience everything that brought her happiness throughout her own life.

In addition to her family duties, Barbara had a variety of interests and hobbies. She enjoyed sewing, knitting, and baking, often seeking out antiques at estate sales or hunting for the best sales in town. Unafraid of adventure, she embraced opportunities to explore new places, never desiring to learn to drive herself but instead thoroughly relishing the journeys taken with others. Her home was also a testament to her and Fred’s shared passion – their collection of clocks, lovingly maintained by Fred, who gained the affectionate title “Clockman Fred.”

Barbara was preceded in death by her cherished husband, Ret. Command Sergeant Major Fred Westbrook, whose absence leaves a profound void in her family’s hearts.

She leaves behind a legacy of love and commitment, deeply felt by her children, her grandchildren, her four great-grandchildren, and many cherished family members and friends. To know Barbara was to understand the meaning of kindness, warmth, and unconditional love; her spirit will continue to resonate in the lives she touched throughout her remarkable journey.

The family of Barbara Jean Westbrook would like to express their gratitude for Scott and White Hospice and especially to her private nurse, Mary Manwell for her compassionate care of Barbara.

Arrangements are entrusted to Crotty Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Belton.