Barbara Joan Tearney

Barbara Joan Kopietz Tearney died very unexpectedly at home on June 28, 2025. She was born on October 5, 1943, in Wichita, Kansas and was 81 years old. She is survived by her husband of nearly 60 years, Mike and her two sons Bryce (Sherri) in Muncie, Indiana and Flint (Deena) of Honolulu, Hawaii and one grandson, Levi. She is also survived by her sister, Judy (Bill) Burnam of Springfield, Virginia and several nieces and nephews.

Durning her married life she lived in Wichita, Kansas for 3 years, Columbia, Missouri for 3 years, West Des Moines, Iowa for 9 years, Weston Connecticut for 3 years and then her beloved Kentucky for the last 42 years. Prior to the birth of her children, she taught elementary school in Kansas and Missouri.

While living in Weston, Connecticut she attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City for 2 years and designed and sold baby clothes in Westport, Connecticut. She also loved to travel, and her and Mike visited 49 of the 50 United States and over 60 different countries around the World.

She was a lover of animals and had at least 7 dogs and too many cats to count but certainly over 25, mostly strays. She always took excellent care of all her animals. She had a green thumb and was a flower lover and had numerous rose gardens plus many, many more flower gardens. Likewise, she was a great gardener and had a large vegetable garden, just starting to produce when she died. Furthermore, she planted and nurtured over 150 trees on her farm, nearly 100 along her driveway.

A funeral service will be held on Thursday, July 3, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. at Clark Legacy Center in Versailles. The family will receive friends on Thursday, July 3, 2025 after 11 a.m. until time for services. 

Rather than flowers the family suggest you make a donation in Barbara’s name to the Woodford County Humane Society located at 265 Thomas Lane, Versailles, KY. She will be buried in the family cemetery on her farm in Woodford County.