Barbara Ann (Lankford) Mullin entered eternal rest, surrounded and embraced by her family, at 8:22 a.m., on Wednesday morning, August 2, 2017 at her home in Seneca, MO.
Born on August 24, 1939, in Miami, OK, she was the second of seven children born to Glenn and Julia “Judy” Gamble Lankford of rural Seneca, MO. She grew up a Daddy's girl with curly black hair and chubby cheeks.
Barb met a handsome young buck named Winfred Wayne Mullin in 1955. Many are the stories of sneaking out to ride with her guy in his Studebaker. Wayne, or "W", took his little Indian girl to be his wife on Dec. 29, 1956. In their 59 years of life and love they enjoyed Wayne's music and her love of family and fun.
Barbara took after her mom and loved to have a house full of family for traditional, big, Lankford style family dinners. There was no such thing as "too many folks to feed" and countless family friends enjoyed those dinners to her great delight. Family and food were the stuff of her life.
Known for the best cinnamon rolls, hot rolls, fry bread, and grape dumplings, many a diet was directly attributed to her inherited cooking skills.
She is also remembered in Seneca as an enthusiastic fan of Seneca wrestling.
She loved the Lord and was a member of the Swars Prairie Church of Christ where her parents began their commitment to the Lord as faithful Christians.
Barbara was employed by the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma for the past 22 years. A member of the Tribe, she helped establish the Tribe's annual winter social dance and summer pow wow. She worked in grants management and was the Self Governance Coordinator for the Tribe.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Glenn and Julia and younger brother Stephen Ray Lankford.
She is survived by her sweetheart, Wayne and their children; daughter, Tracie Speak of Quapaw, OK, son, Wynn Mullin of Seneca, MO, and daughter Tammi Byrne and husband Mike of Seneca, MO. Grandchildren; Wade Mullin and Dakota and Wyatt Speak; Josh and Hunter Mullin, and Blake & Bryce Byrne and Brooklyn King. She and Wayne have seven great-grandchildren. Her siblings; Glenda Fetter and husband Harold of Joplin, MO, Carolyne Niles of Franklin, TN, Jerry Lankford and wife Diane of Joplin, MO, Julie Olds and husband Dustin of Miami, OK, and Doug Lankford and wife Gena of Miami, OK. Thirteen nieces and nephews and an innumerable host of loving Lankford and Mullin family members and friends.
Barbara will lie in state, according to Miami Tribe custom, surrounded by family, at her home at 904 Cherokee in Seneca, MO, from Thursday, Aug. 3 until Saturday morning, Aug. 5 Friends are welcome to visit at the home between the hours of 4 and 7 pm on Thursday and Friday.
The graveside service under the direction of Campbell-Biddlecome Funeral Home, Seneca, will be held at 2:00 PM, Saturday, Aug. 5th at the Swars Prairie Church of Christ Cemetery located southeast of Seneca, MO. Ron Lankford will officiate. Jamie Lankford will serve as song leader for congregational singing. Her younger brother Doug Lankford, Chief of the Miami Tribe, will conduct graveside Miami rites. Her niece, Jackie Rawlins and Corrie Fenscke will perform the Lord’s Prayer in Tribal sign language, accompanied by Barbara’s cousin, Shelva Sooter. Pallbearers are Wade Mullin, Kyle and Kolby Lankford, Aubrey and Nathan Lankford, Rick Hancock, Skylar and Payton Rawlins. Honorary Pall Bearers are Joshua Mullin, Blake and Bryce Byrne, Dakota and Wyatt Speak.
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